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Presented    by  \   VCS<S\£>\<SrYV   \  0\\-^OX~\ 


Division 

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SERIES 


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LECTURE  SERMONS, 


DELIVERED    AT   THE 


SECOND    UNIVERSALIST    MEETING, 


IN    BOSTON. 


BY  HOSEA  BALLOU,  PASTOR. 


THIRD     ED.    STEREOTYPED. 

FBTISED    BY    THE    AUTHOR. 


"Seaich  the  Scriptures,  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  iey  are  th»f 
which  testify  of  me." — Jesus  Christ. 
♦  Let  us  go  on  to  perfection." — St.  Paul. 


BOSTON : 
A.   TOMPKINS. 

1854. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1832,  by 

Marsh,  Capen  &  Lyon, 
\n  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


CONTENTS. 


LECTURE   I. 

The  Objects  of  Salvation:  and  its  nature. 

1  Timothy,  1.  15. — "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all 
acceptation,  That  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners ; 
of  whom  I  am  chief."  .  .  .  .  .7 

LECTURE  II. 

The  Divine  Character  the  source  of  all  the  grace 
manifested  in  the  gospel :  And  the  standard  for  our  imi- 
tation. 

Matthew,  v.  84. — "  Be  ye,  therefore,  perfect,  even  as  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect."  .  .  .  .20 

LECTURE  III. 
The  Law,  consistent  with  the  Promises. 
Galatians,  iii.  21. — "  Is  the  law   then  against  the  promises  of 
God?     God  forbid."       I  .  .  .  .  .35 

LECTURE  IV. 

Love,  the  centre  of  all  the  Divine  attributes. 
1  John,  iv.  16.—"  God  is  love."         .  .  .47 

LECTURE  V. 

Man  originally  made  subject  to  vanity  and  to  hope. 

Romans,  viii.  20. — "  For  the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity, 
not  willingly,  but  by  reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in 
hope."  .  .  .  •  •  •  .61 

LECTURE  VI. 

Salvation  impartial  and  universal. 

Isaiah,  xxv.  6,  7,  8. — "  And  in  this  mountain  shall  the  Lord  of 
hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on 
the  lees ;  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees  well  re- 
fined. And  he  will  destroy  in  this  mountain  the  face  of  the  cover- 
ing cast  over  all  people,  and  the  vail  that  is  spread  over  all  nations. 
He  will  swallow  up  death  in  victory ;  and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe 
away  tears  from  off  all  faces ;  and  the  rebuke  of  his  people  shall  he 
take  away  from  off  all  the  earth  :  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it."      75 


/ 


4  CONTENTS. 

LECTURE  VII. 

The  burning  up  of  the  proud  and  of  all  that  do  wick- 
edly. 

Malachi,  iv.  1. — "  For,  behold,  the  day  cometh  that  shall  burn  as 
an  oven;  and  all  the  proud,  yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be 
stubble ;  and  the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch."      89 

LECTURE  VIII. 

The  story  of  Joseph,  an  illustration  of  Christ's  king- 
dom. 

Deuteronomy,  xxxiii,  16,  17. — "  Let  the  blessing  come  upon  the 
head  of  Joseph,  and  upon  the  top  of  the  head  of  him  that  was  sepa- 
rated from  his  brethren.  His  glory  is  like  the  firstling  of  his  bul- 
lock, and  his  horns  are  like  the  horns  of  unicorns :  with  them  ho 
shall  push  the  people  together  to  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  and  they 
are  the  ten  thousands  of  Ephraim,  and  they  are  the  thousands  of 
Manasseh."         .......    103 

LECTURE  IX. 

The  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Matthew,  xii.  31 ,  32. — "  Wherefore  I  say  unto  you,  All  mannei 
of  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men  :  but  the  blasphe- 
my against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not  be  forgiven  unto  men.  And 
whosoever  speaketh  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  for- 
given him  :  but  whosoever  speaketh  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall 
not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to 
come."  ......  117 

LECTURE  X. 

The  Scripture  doctrine  of  election. 

Romans,  xi.  7. — What  then  ?  Israel  hath  not  obtained  that  which 
he  seeketh  for ;  but  the  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were 
blinded.  .......    132 

LECTURE   XI. 

God  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself  through 
Christ. 

2d.  Corinthians,  v.  18,  19,  20. — And  all  things  are  of  God,  who 
hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  hath  given  to  us 
the  ministry  of  reconciliation  ;  to  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ,  rec- 
onciling the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto 
them  ;  and  hath  committed  unto  us  the  word  ot  reconciliation.  Now 
then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech 
you  by  us :  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to 
God.        .......  145 

LECTURE  XII. 

All  men  drawn  to  Christ. 

John,  xii.  32. — "  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will 
draw  all  men  unto  me."  ...  .  .  .     160 


CONTENTS.  5 

LECTURE  XIII. 

Christ  sowing  the  good  seed,  in  tears. 

Psalm,  cxxvi.  6. — "He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing 
precious  seed  shall,  doubtless,  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing 
his  sheaves  with  him."  ....  173 

LECTURE  XIV. 

Entering  into  life  maimed;  and  being  cast  into  hell. 

Mark,  ix.  43,  44. — "  And  if  thy  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off;  it  is 
better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed,  than  having  two  hands  to 
go  into  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched; — Where 
their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched."     .  .     188 

LECTURE   XV. 

All  men  the  children  of  God.  Destruction  of  the 
devil. 

Hebrews,  ii.  14,  15. — "  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are  par- 
takers of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part  of  the 
same ;  that  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power 
of  death,  that  is,  the  devil ; — And  deliver  them  who,  through  fear 
of  death,  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage."  .     202 

LECTURE  XVI. 

The  second  death 

Revelation,  xxi.  8. — "  But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the 
abominable,  and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and 
idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which 
burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone ;  which  is  the  second  death."      216 

LECTURE  XVII. 

Salvation,  a  deliverance  from  error  and  sin,  through 
the  mercy  of  God. 

2  Timothy,  i.  9,  10. — "  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  an 
holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own 
purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the 
world  began  : — But  is  now  made  manifest  by  the  appearing  of  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  abolished  death,  and  hath  brought 
life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gospel."         .  .    231 

LECTURE  XVIII. 

Explanation  of  Matthew  xxiv.  and  xxv. 

Matthew,  xxv.  46. — "  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting 
punishment :  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal."         .  .    246 

LECTURE  XIX. 

Righteousness  and  wickedness  recompensed  on  earth. 

Proverbs,  xi.  31. — "  Behold,  the  righteous  shall  be  recompensed 

in  the  earth  ;  much  more  the  wicked  and  the  sinner."  .    262 


> 


6  CONTENTS. 

LECTURE  XX. 

Divine  goodness  in  the  destruction  of  the   Sodomites 

and  other  sinners. 

Ezekiel,  xvi.  last  of  50. — "Therefore  I  took  them  away  as  I  saw 
good."  .......    276 

LECTURE  XXI. 

Vexation  of  false  religion. 

Isaiah,  xxviii.  last  of  19. — "  And  it  shall  be  a  vexation  only  to 
cnderstand  the  report."  .....    291 

LECTURE  XXII. 

God's  unchangeable    love   to   sinners  the  cause    of 

Christ's  mission. 

Romans,  v.  8. — "  But  God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in 
that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  .     306 

LECTURE  XXIII. 

The  resurrection  a  state  of  holiness  and  bliss. 

1.  Thessalonians,  iv.  13. — "  But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be 
ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  them  which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sor- 
row not,  even  as  others  which  have  no  hope."  .  .     320 

LECTURE   XXIV. 

"The  resurrection  of  life;"  and    "the  resurrection 

of  damnation. 

John,  v.  28,  29. — "  Marvel  not  at  this :  for  the  hour  is  coming, 
in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  And  shall 
come  forth :  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
life  ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  dam- 
nation." .  .  .  .  .  .    334 

LECTURE  XXV. 

All  God's  judgments  issue  in  love. 
Zephaniah,  iii.  part  17. — "  He  will  rest  in  his  love."  .    348 

LECTURE  XXVI. 

The  healing  efficacy  of  Christ's  doctrine. 
Mark,  v.  31. — "  Thou  seest  the  multitude  thronging   thee,  and 
sayest  thou,  who  touched  me?"  .  ...    362 


'crr/WL 


LEC1  unjc  t. 

THE  OBJECTS  OF  SALVATION  ;    AND  ITS  NATURE. 
1.  TIMOTHY,  i.  15. 

"  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  That  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners;  of  whom  I  am  Chief." 

The  subject,  on  which  the  Apostle  was  speaking, 
and  which  led  him  to  make  the  important  declaration 
contained  in  our  text,  is  worthy  of  special  notice. 
Under  a  deep  sense  of  the  goodness  of  God,  the  grace 
which  he  had  received  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  dis- 
tinguished and  important  station  in  which  he  was 
placed  by  the  great  Captain  of  our  salvation,  it  was 
impossible  for  him  not  to  take  a  most  humiliating  re- 
trospective view  of  his  past  life  in  the  Jews'  religion, 
while  an  enemy  to  Jesus,  a  blasphemer,  and  a  perse- 
cuter  of  the  church.  All  these  weighty  considerations 
having  their  natural  operations  on  his  mind,  seemed  to 
present,  in  full  view,  before  his  mental  vision,  the  great 
and  glorious  errand  on  which  the  Lord  Jesus  was  sent 
into  our  world.  If  it  could  have  been  so,  that  the  Apos- 
tle, while  engaged  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus,  could  have 
retained  his  former  confidence  in  his  own  righteous- 
ness, and  had  been  of  opinion,  that  he  was  a  favorite 
of  heaven,  that  he  was  enlightened  into  the  knowledge 
of  the  gospel,  and  even  put  into  the  ministry  because 
his  former  conduct  had  merited  these  favors,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  such  views  could  never  have  led  him  to 
make  the  statement  found  in  our  text.  Confirmed  in 
such  a  persuasion,  he  would  have  preached  a  Saviour 
for  the   righteous,  yea,  for  the  righteous  only.     He 


8  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

would  have  despised  the  least  intimation  of  the  salva- 
tion of  sinners.  He  would,  no  doubt,  have  looked  on 
such  intimation,  as  an  heresy  of  a  most  dangerous  ten- 
dency. But  the  case  with  the  great  Apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  was  very  different.  He  had  been  led  to  see 
that  not  as  a  righteous  man,  but  as  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners he  had  been  visited  with  the  abundance  of  that 
grace  by  which  he  was  so  highly  distinguished.  He 
therefore  looked  on  himself  as  sufficient  proof  of  the 
testimony  which  he  bore.  Such  as  the  following  were, 
no  doubt,  the  reflections  of  his  mind  ;  I  know  for  cer- 
tainty, that  I  was  a  most  deadly  enemy  of  this  lovely 
Jesus  whom  I  now  delight  to  serve  ;  I  know,  that  in 
my  opposition  to  this  religion,  I  was  exceedingly  mad, 
and  I  caused  many  of  the  harmless,  inoffensive  disci- 
ples of  Christ,  both  men  and  women,  to  feel  the 
weight  of  my  displeasure.  Such  was  my  blind  zeal, 
such  the  enmity  that  rankled  in  my  heart  against  him 
and  his  doctrine,  who  was  a  friend  to  sinners,  that  "  I 
thought  I  ought  to  do  many  things  contrary  to  the 
name  of  Jesus  ;"  and  I  persecuted  the  saints  "  unto 
the  death."  But,  O  wonderful  to  behold  !  I  am  now 
a  most  joyful  subject  of  that  grace  to  which  I  was  such 
an  enemy.  From  such  reflections  might  very  justly 
be  drawn  this  conclusion  ;  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying, 
and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners  ;  of  whom  I  am  chief." 
This  testimony,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners  is  sufficiently  corroborated  by 
other  scriptures.  When  those,  in  the  days  of  Jesus, 
who  thought  they  were  righteous  and  despised  others, 
found  fault  with  the  Saviour,  because  he  was  a  friend 
to  sinners,  he  plainly  told  them,  that  he  "  came  not  to 
call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance ;"  he  fur- 
thermore represented  the  same  divine  truth  in  that  re- 
markably instructive  saying;  "  The  whole  need  not  a 
physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  Moreover,  he  en- 
larged on  this  subject  in  several  beautiful  parables,  the 
design  of  which  was  to  represent  the  repentance  of 
sinners.  The  blessed  Redeemer  testified  that  "  God 
sent  not  his  son  into  the  world,  to  condemn  the  world, 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  9 

but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved."  The 
declaration  of  the  Angel  to  Joseph,  "  Thou  shalt  call 
his  name  Jesus  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their 
sins,"  is  in  direct  proof  of  what  is  testified  in  our 
text. 

There  are  two  good  reasons  why  Jesus  was  not  sent 
to  call  the  righteous.  First.  There  were  none. 
"  When  God  looked  down  from  heaven  upon  the  chil- 
dren of  men,  to  see  if  there  were  any  that  did  under- 
stand, and  seek  God.  They  are  all  gone  aside,  the- 
are  altogether  become  filthy  ;  there  is  none  that  doeth 
good,  no,  not  one."  After  the  Apostle  had  de- 
scribed, in  his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  the  abominable 
character  of  the  wicked,  he  adds;  "What  then,  are 
we  better  than  they  ?  no,  in  no  wise  :  for  we  have 
before  proved  both  ?  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they 
are  all  under  sin ;  as  it  is  written,  There  is  none  right- 
eous, no,  not  one."  Again  to  the  same  point ;  "  For 
all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 
Secondly.  If  there  had  been  any  righteous,  they 
would  not  have  needed  Jesus  to  call  them  to  repen- 
tance. It  is  as  improper  for  a  righteous  man  to  re- 
pent, as  it  is  for  a  well  man  to  take  medicine.  If  the 
man  in  health  should  take  medicine,  it  would  be  likely 
to  render  him  indisposed  ;  and  if  a  righteous  man 
should  repent,  he  would  render  himself  wicked.  * 

If  it  be  allowed,  as  has  been  proved,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  and  that 
the  gospel  seeks,  as  subjects  of  its  grace,  sinners  only, 
then  it  should  never  be  argued,  that  there  are  some 
who  cannot  be  saved  because  they  are  sinners. — This 
contains  the  absurdity,  that,  that  which  renders 
salvation  necessary  is  an  objection  to  it.  If  we 
may  further  notice  the  observation  of  the  Saviour 
it  is  pertinent  to  remark  on  the  impropriety  of  say- 
ing, that  because  the  patient  is  sick,  therefore  the 
physcian  will  administer  or  prescribe  nothing.  Nor 
would  the  extremity  of  a  case  render  the  objection  in 
the  least  plausible,  unless  the  malady  was  of  such  a 
nature  as  to  bid  defiance  to  the  power  of  medicine ; 
but  on  the  contrary,  the  more  indisposed  the  patient 


/ 


10  BALLOu's    LECTURES. 

might  be,  the  greater  would  be  the  urgency  for  relief. 
It  is  granted,  that  this  calculation  is  not  a  little  wide 
from  that  which  is  more  common,  in  which  it  is  sup- 
posed, that  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  may  ex- 
tend to  the  condition  of  those  who  are  sinners  in  a 
certain  degree,  beyond  which  point  our  spiritual  phy- 
sicians justify  themselves  in  saying  the  grace  of  God 
can  never  extend.  However,  no  small  encouragement 
is  derived  from  the  divine  testimony,  that  "  where  sin 
abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound  :  that  as  sin 
hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might  grace  reign 
through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life,  by  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord."  These  blessed  words  are  "  like  apples  of 
gold  in  pictures  of  silver."  Never  was  cold  water  to 
the  thirsty  soul  so  grateful  as  these  words  of  eternal 
life. 

The  attention  of  the  hearer  is  now  most  earnestly 
•invited  to  the  consideration  of  the  following  question. 
What  did  Christ  Jesus  come  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners  from?  Your  public  servant  has  heretofore  la- 
bored this  question  in  this  place ;  but  being  persuaded 
that  the  general  sentiment  entertained  among  profess- 
ed christians  on  this  question  is  not  according  to  scrip- 
ture, it  is  felt  to  be  a  duty  to  endeavor  to  throw  as 
much  light  on  the  subject  as  the  present  opportunity 
vVill  permit. 

No  doubt  many  of  the  audience  have  already  made 
up  their  minds,  that  the  question  proposed  with  so 
much  solicitude  is  very  easily  answered,  and  is  too 
free  from  difficulty  to  render  much  attention  to  the 
subject  necessary. 

Though  it  is  greatlv  to  be  wished  that  this  were  the 
case,  it  is  presumed  that  a  concise  view  of  the  gener- 
ally received  opinion,  on  this  subject,  will  at  once  dis- 
cover, that  erroneous  notions  have  been  and  still  are 
entertained  of  it. 

The  general  opinion,  which  we  shall  endeavor  to 
disprove,  supposes  that  "  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners"  from  the  demands  of  vindictive 
justice,  which  recognized  the  whole  sinful  family  of 
man  under  the  penalty  of  endless  punishment,  fre- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  H 

quently  called  eternal  death.  This  opinion  of  the 
penalty  required  by  the  divine  law  is  expressed  in  the 
Catechism  as  follows ;  "  All  mankind,  by  reason  of  the 
fall,  lost  communion  with  God,  fell  under  his  wrath 
and  curse,  was  made  liable  to  the  miseries  of  this  life, 
to  death  itself,  and  to  the  pains  of  hell  forever."  From 
the  everlasting  pains  of  hell,  the  same  creed  teaches 
us  to  believe,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  appointed  to  save 
a  part,  and  but  a  part  of  mankind.  The  way  by  which 
it  is  supposed  that  the  Saviour  undertook  to  save  sin- 
ners from  eternal  punishment,  was  by  suffering  the 
penalty  in  room  of  the  sinner ;  so  that  justice  being 
satisfied,  pardon  and  everlasting  salvation  could  be 
granted  to  the  guilty  without  any  infringement  of  strict 
justice-  Dr.  Watts  expresses  this  scheme  of  salvation 
nearly  as  follows ; 

"  I  was  a  rebel  doom'd  to  fire, 
Doom'd  to  endure  eternal  pains, 
He  on  the  wings  of  swift  desire, 
Assum'd  my  guilt  and  took  my  chains." 

Again  ; 

He  quenched  his  Father's  flaming  sword 
In  his  own  vital  blood." 

But  it  is  needless  to  take  up  time  to  be  very  partic- 
ular in  showing  what  this  common  sentiment  is,  for 
the  most  of  us  have  been  learning  it  from  the  begin- 
ning; of  childhood. 

Some  of  the  objections  to  this  scheme  of  salvation 
are  the  following;  1st.  The  total  silence  of  the  divine 
testimony  respecting  this  supposed  penalty  of  the  di- 
vine law.  In  the  divine  threatening  denounced  in  the 
garden  there  is  nothing  intimated  concerning  this 
penalty  of  "  eternal  death,"  or  the  "  pains  of  hell  for- 
ever." In  the  malediction  on  Cain  for  the  murder  of 
his  brother,  there  is  nothing  on  this  hereafter  eternal 
penalty.  In  all  the  law  given  by  Moses,  containing  a 
minute  description  of  most  terrible  curses,  which  in 
severity  extend  to  the  utmost  capacity  of  man  to  suf- 
fer in  this  life,  there  is  not  a  single  suggestion  relating 


12  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

to  this  penalty  of  eternal  punishment  in  a  future  state. 

2.  The  supposition  of  such  a  penalty  seems  dishon- 
orable to  the  divine  Being,  because  it  could  not  have 
been  enacted  with  any  design  to  reclaim  the  sinner 
and  must,  therefore,  be  entirely  repugnant  to  the  char- 
acter of  God  as  a  Father  of  his  creatures.  A  parent 
cannot,  consistently  with  parental  love,  subject  a  child 
to  any  penalty  for  faults  committed,  which  in  room  of 
being  directed  to  reform,  would  inevitably  prevent  re- 
pentance and  reformation  forever.  The  word  of  God 
informs  us  that  he  "  is  love,"  and  that  he  is  "  our  Fa- 
ther in  Heaven."  Now  if  this  be  true,  the  opinion, 
that  there  ever  was  any  vindictive  wrath  in  God,  which 
demanded  the  sinner's  eternal  banishment  from  our 
Father  in  heaven  must  be  an  egregious  error,  and  one 
that  very  much  obscures  and  dishonor  the  ever  bless- 
ed Father  of  our  spirits. 

3.  If  mankind  justly  deserved  this  supposed  penal- 
ty, on  account  of  sins  committed  against  the  divine 
law,  how  could  it  possibly  be  just  for  one  who  was 
not  a  sinner  to  suffer  it  ?  To  condemn  the  innocent, 
and  clear  the  guilty  is  strictly  forbidden  in  the  law. 

4.  The  supposition,  that  this  penalty  did  actually 
lie  against  the  sinners  which  Jesus  came  to  save,  and 
that  he,  in  the  sinner's  room  and  stead,  did  actually 
suffer  this  penalty,  embraces  the  absurd  suppoition 
that  Jesus  suffered  eternal  misery  in  a  few  days. 

5.  If  according  to  the  common  opinion,  the  penalty 
of  the  law  subjected  men  "  to  all  the  miseries  of  this 
life,  to  death  itself,  and  to  the  pains  of  hell  forever,"  if 
Jesus  suffered  the  penalty  for  the  elect  why  are  the 
elect  any  more  liable  now  in  this  state  to  the  miseries 
of  this  life  and  to  death  itself,  than  to  the  pains  of  hell 
forever  ?  Most  surely,  if  Jesus  bore  the  whole  penalty 
of  the  law  in  room  and  stead  of  the  sinner,  then  it  cer- 
tainly cannot  be  just  for  the  sinner  to  bear  one  part  of 
this  penalty  any  more  than  another.  But  there  are  none 
who  do  not  partake  of  the  miseries  of  this  life  in  some 
degree  ;  and  there  are  none  who  are  exempt  from 
death. 

Having  shown  that  the  common  opinion  respecting 


BALLOU S    LECTURES  13 

salvation  is  erroneous,  having  no  scripture  authority 
for  its  support  and  being  contrary  to  all  revealed  jus- 
tice, we  may  proceed  to  notice  some  direct  evidence 
from  scripture  against  it.  But  here  we  may  be  con- 
cise. In  the  law  given  by  Moses,  there  is  a  continued 
thread  of  plain  testimony,  that  as  a  nation  the  house 
of  Israel  would  be  punished  accordingly  as  they  should 
depart  from  the  statutes  and  judgments  which  the 
Lord  commanded  them  :  and  accordingly  we  are  in- 
formed in  the  sacred  pages,  that  God  punished  them 
from  time  to  time  as  their  perverse  and  wicked  con- 
duct deserved.  So  likewise  are  we  assured,  that  the 
divine  Being  punished  other  nations  for  their  wicked- 
ness :  such  as  Babylon,  Nineveh,  Tyre,  Egypt,  &c. 
In  relation  to  the  crimes  of  individuals  we  well  know 
that  God  instituted  penalties  according  to  the  nature 
of  offences,  and  gave  special  directions  concerning 
their  being  duly  inflicted.  This  is  not  only  true  in 
respect  to  the  laws  of  Israel,  but  it  is  likewise  true  in 
respect  to  all  nations.  He  that  holds  the  sword  is  the 
minister  of  God.  Now  if  all  this,  which  is  as  plain  as 
any  thing  in  the  scriptures,  be  granted,  what  room  is 
there  for  the  supposition  that  the  penalty  due  to  trans- 
gression is  punishment  in  the  future  eternal  world  ? 
Or  what  reason  have  we  to  believe  that  Jesus  suffered 
in  room  and  stead  of  transgressors  ?  This  same  Jesus 
Christ  of  whom  it  is  believed,  that  he  suffered  the  pen- 
alty of  our  sins* in  our  room,  that  we  might  not  suffer 
it,  plainly  states,  that  he  will  "  reward  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  works."  It  seems  to  be  evident,  from 
the  foregoing  considerations,  that  no  such  penalty  of 
endless  misery  was  ever  connected  with  the  divine  law 
of  heaven  ;  and  equally  evident,  that  Jesus  did  not  come 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners  from  any  such  penalty. 
No,  nor  did  he  come  into  the  world  to  save  the  sinner 
from  the  punishment  of  his  sins. 

We  have  now  come  to  the  positive  of  our  question, 
and  we  will  proceed  to  show  from  the  scriptures,  what 
"  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners  " 
from. 

First,  and  primarily,  he  came  to  save  sinners  from 
2 


14  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

their  sins.  If  the  hearer  be  disposed  to  ask  what  the 
difference  is  between  saving  a  sinner  from  his  sins, 
and  saving  him  from  the  punishment  which  his  sins 
deserve,  the  following  reply  will  show.  To  save  a 
criminal  from  the  punishment  which  the  law  holds 
against  him  would  be  a  violation  of  the  law,  but  to 
save  him  from  his  sin,  would  render  him  righteous. 
To  save  a  disobedient  child  from  the  chastisement  due 
for  his  offence,  would  violate  the  wholesome  law  of 
the  parent,  and  would  have  an  unfavorable  effect  on 
the  disobedient  when  reformation  is  the  object  of  the 
chastisement.  But  to  save  the  child  from  disobedi- 
ence is  the  very  thing  the  parental  law  requires  and 
is  all  the  salvation  which  it  needs.  Thus,  as  has  been 
before  noticed,  the  Angel  said  to  Joseph  ;  "  Thou 
shalt  call  his  name  Jesus,  for  he  shall  save  his  people 
from  their  sins." 

Secondly,  we  may  notice  some  particulars,  which, 
however,  are  all  comprehended  in  saving  the  sinner  from 
his  sins.  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners from  a  state  of  ignorance  which  they  were  actual- 
ly in,  which  ignorance  was  and  ever  is  the  cause  of 
sin. 

Of  the  forerunner  of  Jesus  it  was  said  ;  "  And  thou, 
child,  shalt  be  called  the  prophet  of  the  highest :  for 
thou  shalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  prepare 
his  ways  ;  to  give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  his 
people,  by  the  remission  of  their  sins,  through  the  ten- 
der mercy  of  our  God  ;  whereby  the  day-spring  from 
on  high  hath  visited  us,  to  give  light  to  them  that  sit 
in  darkness,  and  in  the  shadow  of  death,  to  guide  our 
feet  into  the  way  or  peace."  Jesus  said  to  the  Jews  ; 
"  If  ye  continue  in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my  disciples 
in  deed  ;  and  ye  shall  know  the  truth  and  the  truth 
shall  make  you  free  ."  In  his  prayer  to  the  Father, 
Jesus  says ;  "  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might 
know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
thou  hast  sent."  It  is  most  plainly  seen  by  the  light 
of  these  passages,  that  the  Saviour's  grace  was  design- 
ed to  deliver  sinners  from  mental  darkness,  and  to 
give  them  the  true  knowledge  of  God's  divine  and 


EALLOU'S    LECTURES  15 

gracious  character.  This  is  a  salvation  which  the  ig- 
norance of  mankind  rendered  necessary.  St.  Paul, 
speaking  on  this  subject  to  the  Collossians  says ; 
"  Who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness, 
and  hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear 
Son."  The  power  of  darkness  is  the  deception  to 
which  ignorance  subjects  us,  from  which  the  true  know- 
ledge of  divine  things  delivers  the  mind.  God  says  by 
the  prophet  Jeremiah  ;  "  And  they  shall  teach  no  more 
every  man  his  neighbor,  saying,  know  the  Lord :  for 
they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least  of  them  to  the 
greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord  :  for  I  will  forgive  their 
iniquity,  and  I  will  remember  the  sin,  no  more !  " 
The  words  of  St.  Peter  are  pertinent  to  this  subject : 
"  Grace  and  peace  be  multiplied  unto  you  through  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  of  Jesus  our  Lord."  And  we 
may  add,  that  the  mission  of  the  Apostles,  to  u  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature  and  to  teach  all  nations," 
implies  the  necessity  of  bringing  all  men  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth. 

The  same  salvation  which  has  already  been  signified 
by  a  salvation  from  sin  and  from  darkness  or  ignorance, 
may  be  denominated  a  deliverance  from  unreconcilia- 
tion  to  God.  It  is  easily  seen,  that  sin  and  unrecon- 
ciliation  to  God  are  the  same.  This  is  the  state  which 
the  sinner  is  in,  and  from  this  condition  the  gospel  is 
designed  to  deliver  or  save  him.  Accordingly  St. 
Paul  says  ;  "  And  all  things  are  of  God  who  hath  rec- 
onciled us  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  hath  givpn 
to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  ;  to  wit ;  that  God 
was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not 
imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them ;  and  hath  com- 
mitted unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation.  Now  then, 
we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  be- 
seech you  by  us ;  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be 
ye  reconciled  to  God  !  We  see  by  this  passage  as  well 
as  by  the  general  testimony  of  scripture,  that  God  did 
not  impute  the  trespasses  of  sinners  to  them,  in  any 
way  to  prevent  the  manifestation  of  his  grace  in  their 
reconciliation  to  himself.  This  reconciliation  of  the 
world  to  God  is  the  salvation  of  the  world,  and  agrees 


•**:**•„ 


16  BALLOU's    LECTURES. 

with  the  testimony  of  the  beloved  disciple  who  said, 
"We  have  seen  and  do  testify,  that  the  Father  sent 
the  son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world."  And  to  the 
same  did  "  a  bright  and  a  shining  light '  bear  record, 
saying;  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away 
tne  sin  of  the  world." 

This  condition  of  sinners,  from  which  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  them,  is  represented  to 
be  death.  Jesus  says  ;  "  The  dead  shall  hear  the  voice 
of  the  son  of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  St. 
Paul  says  to  the  Ephesians  ;  "  And  you  hath  he  quick- 
ened, who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  Again ; 
"  But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love 
wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in 
sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ."  Was 
there  ever  a  representation  more  erroneous,  than  that 
which  has  for  ages  led  men  to  believe  that  there  was 
a  divine  wrath  in  God,  from  which  Jesus  came  to  save 
sinners  ?  In  the  passage  just  recited  it  is  declared,  that 
on  account  of  the  great  love  which  God  had  to  sinners, 
who  were  dead  in  sin,  he  quickened  them  together 
with  Christ. 

Our  Redeemer  represents  the  salvation  of  sinners 
by  seeking  and  saving  something  lost,  "The  Son  of 
man  came  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost." 
Time  would  fail  us  to  mention  all  the  ways  by  which 
sacred  truth  has  represented  the  nature  of  a  sinner's 
salvation  by  Jesus  Christ. 

The  hearer  is  now  called  on  to  observe,  that  in  all 
the  representations  quoted  from  scripture,  there  is  no 
intimation  of  saving  sinners  from  any  punishment  to 
which  they  were  exposed,  nor  from  any  condition  that 
they  were  not  already  in. 

Being  in  possession  of  what  the  foregoing  arguments 
seem  plainly  to  prove,  the  mind  of  the  hearer  will  de- 
vote its  attention  now  to  the  consideration  of  the  ques- 
tion, why  "  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners?'  If  the  object  of  the  Saviour's  mission  was 
to  suffer  the  penalty  of  eternal  punishment,  which  all 
our  Doctors  agree  cannot  be  suffered  in  this  world, 
why  did  he  come  here  ?     Why  should  he  come  into 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  17 

a  world  where  this  supposed  penalty  never  was  de- 
signed to  be  executed  ?  If  Jesus  undertook  and  did 
actually  suffer  the  penalty  of  eternal  damnation  in  a 
future  world,  in  room  and  stead  of  sinners,  surely  there 
was  no  need  of  his  coming  into  this  mortal  state  to  do 
it.  But  he  "  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners." 
And  the  reason  why  he  came  into  this  world  to  save 
sinners,  was  because  the  sinners  which  he  came,  to 
save  were  in  this  world.  To  make  use  of  the  parable 
of  the  Saviour,  we  may  remark,  that  the  physician  goes 
to  the  place  where  the  sick  are,  that  he  may  adminis- 
ter what  may  relieve  the  patient  from  sickness.  The 
goodly  Samaritan  went  to  the  place  where  the  bruised 
Jew  lay  naked  and  half  dead,  and  there  he  poured  into 
his  wounds  the  mollifying  oil  and  the  life  restoring 
wine.  The  shepherd  went  after  the  lost  sheep  until 
he  found  it,  and  from  the  place  where  it  had  wandered 
he  bore  it  on  his  shoulder  to  the  fold,  rejoicing. 

The  common  doctrine,  which  teaches  us,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  this  world  to  save  us  in  another 
world  is  contrary  to  all  the  representations  which  are 
found  in  the  scriptures.  If  in  a  future  world,  men 
are  sick,  then  in  a  future  world  men  will  need  a  phy- 
sician ;  and  if  in  a  future  world  men  are  lost,  then 
in  a  future  world  they  will  need  to  be  sought  and 
found ;  but  if  the  inhabitant  shall  say  I  am  not  sick," 
no  physician  will  be  wanted.  If  sin  shall  exist  in  a  fu- 
ture state  of  existence,  no  doubt  pardoning  mercy  will 
flow  as  freely  there  as  it  does  here.  God  will  be  the 
same,  Christ  will  be  the  same,  and  love  divine  will  be 
the  same.  But  none  of  our  creeds  teach  us  that  man 
will  sin  in  a  future  world,  and  surely  if  they  do  not 
they  will  not  need  to  be  saved  from  sin,  for  they  will 
have  none. 

We  are  not  informed  in  the  scriptures,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  procure  for  man  a  state 
of  life  and  immortality;  but  we  are  informed,  that  he 
"  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the 
gospel.  This  divine  inheritance  was  given  us  in 
Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began,  but  was  "  made 
2* 


IS  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

manifest  by  the  appearing  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  abolished  death." 

The  attentive  hearer  is  in  the  next  place  invited  to 
spend  a  few  reflections  on  the  fulness  of  Christ  Jesus 
to  accomplish  the  work  of  saving  sinners.  Remem- 
ber, "  The  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  o  f 
the  world."  Permit  your  humble  servant  to  ask  you, 
if  you  had  any  important  concerns  in  a  foreign  coun- 
try, which  required  the  attention  of  one  deeply  skilled 
in  such  matters,  would  you  not  send  one  on  whom 
you  could  depend  ?  And  would  you  not  furnish  him 
with  all  the  necessary  powers,  to  settle  your  concerns 
in  a  just  and  equitable  manner  ?  You  answer  in  the 
affirmative. 

Then  it  seems,  that  your  christian  candor  must 
lead  you  to  allow,  that  ample  power  is  given  to  Christ 
Jesus  to  save  the  chief  of  sinners.  If  God  himself, 
who  is  acknowledged  to  be  omnipotent,  had  power 
sufficient  for  this  gracious  work,  he  surely  would  not 
send  his  Son  with  too  little.  "  All  power  in  heaven 
and  in  earth  is  therefore  committed  to  the  Son." 
"In  him  dwells  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,'' 
Jesus  "  made  unto  us,  wisdom,  righteousness,  sancti- 
fication  and  redemption."  Are  sinners  ignorant  of 
God  ?  Jesus  came  with  the  true  knowledge  of  the 
Father,  whom  to  know  is  life  eternal.  Are  sinners 
sick  with  spiritual  leprosy  ?  Jesus  is  that  physician 
whose  very  word  can  heal.  Are  sinners  lost  and  be- 
wildered in  the  wilderness  of  sin  ?  Jesus  is  "  the  way, 
the  truth  and  the  life  !"  Are  sinners  dead  in  trespas- 
ses and  sins,  the  life  giving  power  of  the  gospel  quick- 
ens them  together  with  Christ.  Here  is  a  fountain 
opened  for  the  cleansing  of  the  unclean,  here  flow  med- 
ical springs,  teeming  with  health  for  all  who  are  sick. 
Here  grows  the  tree  of  life,  whose  fruit  is  for  food,  and 
whose  leaves  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  In  a 
word,  there  is  no  infirmity  in  the  sinner  for  which 
there  is  not  a  cure  in  Christ  Jesus. 

To  conclude  ;  My  christian  friends,  is  not  our  duty, 
as  disciples  of  Jesus,  made  plain  by  the  doctrine  of 
our  text  ?     "  It  is  enough  for  the  disciples  to  be  as  his 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES,  19 

master."  Ine  olessed  Redeemer  labored  incessantly 
in  the  great  work  of  saving  sinners  from  their  sins. 
He  exercised  his  miraculous  powers  to  convince  men 
of  the  divinity  of  his  mission,  he  taught  the  people  the 
unchangeable  love  of  God  to  sinners,  he  loved  sinners 
himself,  and  his  very  breath  seemed  to  be  forgiveness. 
We  are  called  on  to  exercise  all  our  abilities  in  this 
blessed  cause  of  salvation.  That  we  may  do  this  to 
the  utmost,  we  must  strive  to  increase  in  the  know- 
ledge, and  grow  in  the  grace  of  divine  truth,  that  we 
may  be  enabled  to  communicate  it  to  others.  Jesus 
said  to  his  disciples  ;  "  Let  your  light  so  shine  before 
men,  that  they  beholding  your  good  works,  may  glo- 
rify your  Father  who  is  in  heaven."  If  the  vain  im- 
agination were  true,  that  the  work  of  saving  sinners 
was  accomplished  by  Jesus'  suffering  some  penalty  of 
the  divine  law,  of  which  we  have  no  account  in  the  or- 
acles of  truth,  of  course  further  labor  would  not  be 
needed.  But  if  the  salvation  of  sinners,  consists  in 
delivering  them  from  their  ignorance  of  God,  from  the 
power  of  darkness,  from  the  death  of  sin,  and  from 
alienation  to  a  blessed  reconciliation  to  God,  then  all 
that  we  can  do,  by  the  help  of  Grace,  to  enligten  our 
fellow  men,  to  recommend  the  character  of  God  to 
sinners,  to  magnify  the  beauties  and  excellences  of  a 
life  of  piety  and  virtue  is  of  service  in  the  cause  of 
Christ.  But  let  us  remember,  first  of  all,  that  example 
is  more  than  precept ;  and  that  this  "  Grace  of  God, 
which  bringeth  salvation  to  all  men,  hath  appeared  ; 
teaching  us,  that,  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly 
lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly, 
in  this  present  world  ;  looking  for  that  blessed  hope, 
and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that 
he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  puriyfy 
unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good 
works." 


LECTURE    II. 

THE     DIVINE     CHARACTER     THE     SOURCE      OF     ALL    THE 
GRACE    MANINESTEB    IN  THE    GOSPEL  ;    AND  THE  STAND- 
ARD   FOR    OUR    IMITATION. 

MATTHEW    v.  48. 

"  Be  ye,    therefore,  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  per- 
fect." 

Every  scheme,  whether  human  or  divine,  must,  in 
order  to  be  rationally  planned,  have  some  principle  as 
its  foundation.  This  foundation  must,  in  all  respects, 
be  sufficiently  extensive  and  firm  to  support  the  super- 
structure to  be  raised  on  it. 

The  gospel  or  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  being  a 
scheme  planned  by  infinite  wisdom,  is  established  on  a 
principle  which  is  in  all  respects,  both  in  regard  to  its 
extent  and  stability,  amply  sufficient  to  support  the  di- 
vinely glorious  edifice  designed  to  rest -upon  it.  These 
remarks  are  evidently  analogous  to  the  subject  of  our 
text,  and  correspond  with  the  manner  in  which  it  was 
presented  to  those  who  listened  to  the  gracious  words 
of  the  divine  teacher.  In  his  sermon  on  the  mount, 
Jesus  noticed  many  particulars,  which  had  formerly 
been  taught  to  the  people  and  religiously  believed  by 
them,  which  were  not  consistent  with  the  heavenly 
wisdom  and  grace  of  the  gospel.  He  therefore,  en- 
deavored to  present  to  the  people  the  distinction  be- 
tween those  traditions  which  had  long  been  establish- 
ed, and  that  which  was  harmonious  with  that  special 
"  grace  and  truth,"  which  came  by  him. 

The  particular  subject  under  consideration  is  intro- 
duced as  follows :  "  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been 
said,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor,  aud  hate  thine 
enemy ;  But  I  say  unto  you,  love  your  enemies,  bless 
them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you, 
and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use  you,  and 
persecute  you  ;  that  ye  may  be  the  children  of  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven ;  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to 


BALLOUs'     LECTURES.  21 

rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on 
the  just  and  unjust."  What  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
requires  of  his  disciples  is  here  plainly  laid  down  ; 
and  the  reason  why  love  and  good  offices  to  enemies 
were  enjoined  is  shown  in  the  manifest  goodness  of 
God  to  the  evil  and  good,  to  the  just  and  to  the  un- 
just. The  divine  teacher  then  proceeds  to  illustrate 
the  propriety  and  fitness  of  his  doctrine  as  follows ; 
"  For  if  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  reward  have 
ye?  do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same?  And  if  ye 
salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  more  than  oth- 
ers ?    do  not  even  the  publicans  so  ?  " 

Having  thus  evidently  shown,  that  coming  short 
of  that  love  and  goodness  to  enemies  which  his  doc- 
trine requires,  was  to  stand  on  the  same  ground  and 
to  act  on  the  same  principle  which  characterise  the 
most  illiberal  and  irreligious  worlding,  he  enjoins  as 
expressed  in  our  text ;  "  Be  ye,  therefore,  perfect, 
even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect." — 
Our  text,  thus  introduced,  seems  to  invite  the  atten- 
tion of  the  hearer  to  the  consideration  of  the  following 
proposition,  as  a  distinct  subject  for  investigation; 
(viz.)  The  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  a  dispensation  of 
grace  which  naturally  and  necessarily  flows  from  the 
nature  of  God,  and  obtains  its  peculiar  character  from 
the  love  of  God  to  sinners. 

What  we  mean  when  we  say,  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  flows  naturally  from  God  is,  that  all  the  causes 
which  produce  it,  or  cause  it  to  flow  forth  to  man, 
are  in  the  nature  of  the  divine  Being.  He  is  self-move 
ed  in  all  he  does,  and  of  course  he  is  self-moved  in 
the  dispensation  of  his  grace.  Even  the  Mediator 
himself,  who  is  stiled  "the  Captain  of  our  salvation," 
had  no  occasion  to  influence  the  Father  of  our  spirits 
to  be  merciful  to  sinners,  for  it  is  the  unchangeable 
nature  of  God  to  be  gracious.  The  divine  being  is 
wrongly  represented,  when  it  is  said,  as  it  often  has 
been,  that  Christ  has,  by  his  life,  death  and  resurrec- 
tion opened  a  way  for  God  to  be  merciful  to  sinners  * 
because  this  evidently  supposes,  that  he  was  not  mer- 
ciful to  sinners  before  this  door  was  opened. 


22  BALLOu's     LECTURES 

The  testimony  of  Jesus  evidently  corrects  this  er- 
ror, and  abolishes  at  once  all  vain  imaginations  which 
have  been  built  upon  it.  Hear  his  words  ;  "  For  God 
so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  belie veth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  It  is  surely  a  very  great  error 
to  suppose  that  the  gift  which  the  Father's  love  oe- 
stowed  influenced  him  to  bestow  it.  Such  a  mistake 
we  may  presume,  never  was  made  on  any  other  sub- 
ject or  in  any  other  case.  Were  the  unhappy  chil- 
dren of  wealthy  parents,  whose  prodigality  had  reduc- 
ed them  to  wretchedness  and  want,  to  receive  from 
them  a  gift  of  immense  value,  would  they  be  likely  to 
conclude,  that  the  worth  of  this  invaluable  treasure 
was  the  cause  of  their  parent's  love  and  pity  ?  No  ; 
but  however  highly  they  might  justly  prize  the  favor 
sent,  they  would  consider  it  as  the  evidence,  not  the 
cause  of  parental  affection.  This  is  evidently  the 
sense  of  the  Apostle  who  says  ;  "  But  God  commend- 
eth  his  love  towards  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet 
sinners  Christ  died  for  us."  Here  notice,  the  death 
ofChrist  was  not  the  cause,  but  the  commendation  of 
the  love  of  God  toward  us.  while  we  were  yet  sinners. 
Again ;  "  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  love  God,  but 
that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitia- 
tion for  our  sins."  This  propitiation  for  our  sins,  so 
far  from  opening  a  door  for  God  to  be  gracious,  was 
an  effect  and  a  manifestation  of  the  divine  favor. 

These  arguments  are  designed  to  illustrate  the  prop- 
osition, that  the  grace  of  the  gospel  flows  naturally  from 
God  to  his  enemies. 

It  is  believed  that  no  subject  in  divinity  is  of  great- 
er moment  than  the  one  under  consideration.  For  if 
it  be  not  the  nature  of  God  to  be  gracious,  and  to 
love  his  creatures,  and  to  do  them  good,  even  though 
they  are  enemies  to  him  by  wicked  works  ;  but  if  he 
require  vindictive  retaliation  on  his  enemies  ;  and  can- 
not, consistently  with  his  true  character,  show  any 
favor  to  transgressors,  without  being  first  reconciled 
and  influenced  so  to  do,  it  is  to  that  which  produces 
this  reconciliation  and  effects  this  influence,  that  we 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  23 

are  to  look  for  mercy,  and  not  to  God.  Moreover, 
this  doctrine,  could  it  be  maintained,  would  overthrow 
the  doctrine  of  our  text.  "  Be  ye,  therefore,  perfect, 
even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is  perfect," 
by  loving  your  enemies,  by  blessing  them  that  curse 
you,  by  doing  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  by 
praying  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you  and  perse- 
cute you.  If  it  be  allowed,  that  our  Father  in  heaven 
so  imputed  men's  trespasses  to  them  as  to  render  it 
impossible  for  him  to  extend  mercy  to  any  until  his 
vindictive  wrath  was  appeased,  then  may  we  reply  to 
the  requirements  of  the  Saviour  in  our  text,  and  say  ; 
First  let  us  have  satisfactory  vengeance  on  our  ene- 
mies, then  we  will  love  them  and  do  them  good. 
Suppose  our  Redeemer  had  taught  the  people,  as  our 
professed  christians  believe,  that  he  had  undertaken  to 
appease  his  Father's  wrath  to  ward's  man,  by  suffering 
the  penal  tortures  which  vindictive  justice  had  laid 
on  the  sinner  ;  and  that  by  this  means  he  should  pro- 
cure the  favor  of  God  for  them,  would  he  not  thereby 
have  furnished  them  with  a  reply  to  his  injunctions 
expressed  in  our  text  and  context  ?  Might  they  not 
have  said,  When  we  can  obtain  as  ample  vengeance 
on  our  enemies,  as  you  have  to  suffer  in  order  to 
render  it  proper  for  God  to  love  his  enemies,  then  we 
will  love  ours  ?  But  no  such  doctrine  can  be  found 
in  the  recorded  testimony  of  Jesus.  Whatever  the 
blessed  Redeemer  is  to  us,  he  is  made  such  by  the 
Father  of  our  spirits.  Speaking  to  the  Corinthians 
of  Christ  Jesus,  the  Apostle  says  ;  "  Who  of  God  is 
made  unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification, 
and  redemption."  To  the  same  church,  speaking  of 
the  ministry  of  reconciliation,  the  same  author  says ; 
"  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  him- 
self, not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them."  But 
the  error  which  we  disprove,  supposes  that  God  did  im- 
pute our  trespasses  to  us,  and  that  Christ  reconciled 
him. 

There  is  a  passage  the  common  use  of  which  is 
against  our  present  argument,  which  we  will  here  no- 
tice.     "  We   have   an   advocate    with   the   Father. ,J 


*:> 


24  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

The  common  opinion  supposes  Jesus  Christ  acts  the 
part  of  an  advocate,  by  pleading  our  cause  before 
God,  to  incline  him  to  show  mercy.  This  is  totally 
erroneous.  The  advocacy  of  Jesus  is  expressed  thus  : 
"  Now  then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though 
God  did  beseech  you  by  us  ;  we  pray  you  in  Christ's 
stead  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  Thus  we  have  an 
advocate  with  the  Father  who  pleads  with  us  to  be 
reconciled  to  God  ;  not  with  God  to  be  reconciled  to 
us,  for  "  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto 
himself,  not  imputing  unto  them  their  trespasses." 

That  the  character  which  we  attribute,  by  these  ar- 
guments, to  the  divine  Being,  is  really  what  is  due  to 
him,  may  be  made  to  appear  by  referring  to  his  pro- 
vidence. This  we  are  specially  authorised  to  do,  by 
the  example  which  the  Saviour  has  furnished  in  our 
context,  and  which  was  evidently  designed  by  him  to 
inculcate  what  these  arguments  are  designed  to  prove. 
He  directed  the  attention  of  the  people  to  two  sensi- 
ble objects,  which  the  divine  providence  continually 
holds  out  to  our  view  ;  the  sun  and  the  rain.  "  For 
he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  the  good, 
and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust." 
By  these  ocular  proofs  the  divine  teacher  inculcated 
the  impartial  love  and  goodness  of  our  Father  in 
heaven  toward  all  men  of  every  description  of  char- 
acter. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  notice,  in  this  place,  what 
an  objector  might  be  disposed  to  urge  against  this  im- 
partial goodness  of  the  divine  Being  toward  the  evil 
and  the  good,  the  just  and  the  unjust. 

Objection  :  If  God  be  equally  as  good  to  the  evil  as  he 
is  to  the  good,  to  the  unjust  as  to  the  just ;  and  if  he  love 
his  enemies  as  well  as  he  does  his  friends,  then  there 
is  no  difference  between  the  reward  of  righteousness 
and  unrighteousness.  To  this  objection  the  candid 
hearer  will  accept  the  following  reply. — Keeping  in 
view  the  character  of  God,  as  set  forth  in  the  passage 
under  consideration,  as  our  Father  in  heaven,  we  say 
that  a  father  may  love  his  obedient  and  disobedient 
children  impartially,  and  yet,  in  relation  to  their  con- 


BALLOu's    LECTURES  25 

duct,  may  treat  them  as  differently  as  tney  conduct 
one  from  another.  But  however  different  the  treat- 
ment may  be,  it  must,  in  every  case,  proceed  from 
the   same    principle  of  impartial   love  in  the  parent. 

To  illustrate  this,  we  may  observe  that  the  parent 
who  is  visited  with  sickness  among  his  children  will  nat- 
urally love  those  who  are  sick  as  well  as  he  does  those 
who  are  in  health  ;  and  yet,  from  this  equal  undimin- 
ished love,  he  will  treat  them  as  differently  as  will  ex- 
actly correspond  with  their  different  degrees  of  health. 
— Now,  you  who  are  parents  are  called  on  to  deter- 
mine whether  it  be  right,  and  consistent  with  your  char- 
acter as  parents,  to  love  your  children  and  to  do  good 
to  them  when  they  are  disobedient  ?  If  you  decide  in 
he  affirmative,  as  you  most  surely  will,  then  you  justify 
the  argument,  against  which  the  objection  we  have 
noticed  was  stated. 

If  the  objector  should  be  disposed  to  contend,  that 
we  extend  our  argument  too  far  by  endeavoring  to 
prove  that  the  sinner  is  equally  the  object  of  divine 
love  as  the  righteous,  we  rejoin  by  referring  the  objector 
to  the  full  extent  of  the  evidence  already  adduced,  and 
to  the  consideration  of  the  following  remarks. 

First ;  If  we  carefully  examine  the  conduct  of  the 
divine  Being  toward  Adam  before  and  after  trans- 
gression, shall  we  find  any  thing  to  justify  the  belief, 
that  Adam  was  not  equally  the  object  of  divine  favor 
after  he  sinned  as  he  was  before  ?  Whose  voice  did 
guilty  Adam  hear  in  the  cool  of  the  day,  expressive  of 
parental  solicitude,  crying  Adam,  Adam,  where  art 
thou  ?  It  was  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God.  In  that 
memorable  hour  of  retribution  was  there  the  least  sign 
that  God's  love  towards  his  offspring  had  suffered  any 
diminution  ?  Does  not  the  promise,  that  the  seed  of  the 
woman  shold  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  bear  date  from 
this  eventful   period  ?    Surely  this  was  a  time   of  love. 

Secondly ;  Was  it  when  the  world  was  righteous,  or 
when  it  was  "  in  wickedness"  that  God  so  loved  it,  as 
to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believ- 
eth  on  him  might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life  ?" 
Was  Saul  less  the  object  of  the  divine  favor  before  his 
3 


26  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

conversion  than  afterward  ?  Were  we  less  beloved  by 
him,  "  who  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in 
his  own  blood"  before  he  washed  us,  than  afterward  ? 
The  hearer  will  easily  perceive  that  these  queries  all 
tend  to  show,  that  no  change  in  man  can  effect  any 
change  in  God. — And 

Thirdly  ;  The  acknowledged  unchangeability  of  the 
divine  Being  furnishes  sufficient  proof,  that  his  love  to 
his  creatures  can  never  increase  nor  decrease.  Enter- 
taining a  hope,  that  what  has  been  offered,  designed 
to  explain  our  meaning  respecting  the  dispensation  of 
divine  grace  flowing  naturally  from  God,  may  be  ac- 
ceptable to  the  candid  hearer,  we  will  briefly  state 
what  we  mean  by  saying,  that  this  dispensation  of 
grace  flows  necessarily  from  the  nature  of  God ;  and 
offer  some  argument  in  its  support. 

What  we  mean  by  this  part  of  our  general  proposi- 
tion is,  that  if  we  take  a  careful  view  of  the  nature  of 
the  divine  attributes,  as  they  are  revealed  in  creation, 
providence,  and  grace,  even  as  short  sighted  as   we 
are,  we  become  convinced  that  all  the  ways  of  God, 
all  his  works,  all  his  mercies,  and  all  his  judgments  are 
unalterably   established   in   truth    and    righteousness 
which  never  vary.     It  is  not  consistent  with  the  attri- 
butes of  God,  to  suppose,  that  he  can  design  to  do 
any  thing,  and  afterward  alter  his  determination.     Nor 
is  it  any  more  consistent  with  the  divine  attributes  to 
suppose  that  any  of  the  designs  of  God,  which  in  dif- 
ferent ages  of  the  world  have  been  revealed  to  man, 
were  less  ancient  than  the  design  of  creation ;  which 
carries  us  as  far  back  as  is  of  use  to  our  researches. 
When  the  Almighty  was  pleased  to  reveal  himself  to 
Abraham,  and  call  him  from  his  people,  and  promise 
him,  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  to  multiply  him,  and  to 
bless  him,  and  to  bless  all  the  families  of  the  earth  in 
his  seed,  however  new  and  unexpected  this  might  be 
to  this  "  friend  of  God,"  it  could  be  no  new  thing  with 
the  God  of  Abraham.     And  so  we  may  say  of  any 
other  particular  manifestation  of  the  wisdom  of  God. 
"  Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world,"  and  he  declares  "the  end  from  the 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES  27 

beginning."     It  is  furthermore  said,  that  he  "  cannot 
lie,"  and  that  "  he  cannot  deny  himself." 

Having  presented  the  hearer,  in  our  imperfect  man- 
ner, with  this  short  account  of  the  foundation  of  the 
doctrine  of  Jesus,  the  attention  of  the  audience  may, 
for  a  few  moments,  be  devoted  to  the  consideration 
of  the  following  inferences,  drawn  from  premises  al- 
ready proved. 

1.  As  we  have  seen,  that  the  grace  by  which  man 
obtains  salvation  and  eternal  life,  flows  naturally  and 
necessarily  from  the  nature  of  God,  and  is  known  by 
its  peculiar  characteristic  of  love  to  sinners,  we  infer 
that  this  salvation  w>ll  eventually  be  as  extensive  as 
the  love  of  God,  from  which  it  proceeds.  If  the  love 
of  the  divine  Being  ensures  salvation  to  any  of  the 
sinful  race  of  Adam,  it  equally  favors  the  salvation  of 
all  men,  as  all  are  equally  the  objects  of  divine  love. 
This  inference  relies  on  the  fact,  that  the  same  cause 
will  always  produce  the  same  effects.  A  parent  has 
a  number  of  children,  all  needy  and  dependent  on  him, 
he  loves  them  all  equally,  it  is  granted  that  this  love 
will  certainly  favor  and  support  some  of  these  depend- 
ent offspring ;  the  conclusion  is,  that  it  will  grant  the 
same  favor  and  support  to  the  whole.  Should  the  speak- 
er, this  evening,  inform  you,  that  there  is  a  parent  of 
great  respectability  in  this  town,  who  has  a  numerous 
family  of  sons  and  daughters,  that  he  is  vastly  rich, 
has  all  at  its  command  that  heart  can  wish,  that  he 
most  tenderly  and  affectionately  loves  his  children, 
and  loves  them  impartially,  that  this  parent  has  favor- 
ed your  servant  with  a  knowledge  of  his  domestic 
economy  and  government,  that  he  often  invites  him  to 
partake  of  his  bountiful  board,  and  of  the  refreshments 
which  his  generous  favor  constantly  provides,  would 
you  not  reply  that  all  this  is  verj  probable,  and  that 
you  know  of  many  such  families  in  the  circle  of  your 
acquaintance  ?  But  should  the  account  proceed  and 
state,  that  of  this  numerous  family  of  children  only  a 
fourth  part  were  ever  indulged  with  the  society  of  their 
parent,  that  the  other  three  fourths  were  the  most 
wretched  beings  ever  seen,  that  they  were  as  nearly 


2S  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

starved  the  whole  of  the  time  as  they  could  be  and 
live,  that  they  were  excluded  the  society  of  the  favor- 
ites, and  that  their  extreme  misery  was  for  the  honor 
and  glory  of  the  merciful  parent,  and  to  enhance  the 
unalloyed  happiness  of  the  others,  could  you  freely 
give  your  candid  assent  to  the  probability,  the  consist- 
ency and  propriety  of  this  account?  Would  you  not 
say,  that  if  one  part  of  the  story  be  true,  the  other 
must  be  false  ?  You  certainly  would  contend,  that  if 
the  parent  were  impartial  in  his  love  to  his  children, 
he  never  would  make  the  distinction  reported ;  you 
would  revolt  with  horror  at  the  declaration,  that  the 
extreme  misery  of  the  greatest  part  of  the  family  was 
necessary  for  the  honor  of  the  parent,  and  to  enhance 
the  felicity  of  the  happy  few.  Such  doctrine  as  this, 
you  would  say,  is  totally  without  foundation,  is  a  su- 
perstructure having  nothing  for  its  support,  and  is 
proof  positive  that  the  mind  of  the  reporter  is  derang- 
ed or  corrupted.  Why  then  will  you  contradict  your 
own  candid  reasoning,  and  contend  that  our  Father  in 
heaven  loves  his  offspring  impartially,  even  his  enemies, 
that  his  divine  fullness  is  infinitely  extensive,  but  that 
by  some  special  grace  which  has  been  made  known  to 
you,  you  are  authorised  to  believe  and  say,  that  but  a 
small  part  of  the  human  family  will  ever  be  made  par- 
takers of  the  rich  bounties  of  salvation  in  Christ,  and 
that  far  the  most  numerous  part  of  Adam's  posterity 
arc  doomed  to  unspeakable  tortures  eternally  for  the 
glory  of  God  and  to  promote  the  happiness  of  a  few  ? 
It  is  charitably  believed  that  your  candor  will  lead  to 
an  impartial  decision  of  this  momentous  subject,  and 
will  incline  you  to  admit  what  is  so  fully  and  clearly 
proved  by  the  unerring  testimony  of  truth. 

2.  We  infer  from  our  general  subject,  that  the  com- 
mon doctrine  which  teaches  that  our  Father  who 
is  in  heaven,  loves  those  who  love  him,  s  but  has 
treasured  up  everlasting  vengeance  against  his  ene- 
mies, is  subversive  of  the  gospel  and  religion  of  Jesus, 
which  he  preached  on  the  glorious  foundation  of  the 
divine  love  to  sinners ;  and  equally  subversive  of  our 
duty  as  disciples  of  Christ.     The  common  doctrine, 


B1LL0US'    LECTURES.  29 

against  which  this  inference  is  drawn,  seems  to  adhere 
to  the  old  tradition,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor 
and  hate  thine  enemy,"  against  which  our  Saviour  la- 
bored in  the  place  where  our  text  is  found.  "  If  ye 
love  them  that  love  you,  what  reward  have  ye  ?  do 
not  even  the  publicans  the  same  ?  And  if  ye  salute 
your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  more  than  others?  do 
not  even  the  publicans  so  ?"  Those  who  pay  no  at- 
tention to  religion,  whose  thoughts  are  wholly  en- 
grossed by  the  things  of  a  temporal  concern,  who  lay 
up  their  treasures  upon  the  earth,  love  those  who  love 
them,  do  good  to  those  who  do  good  to  them,  and 
courteously  salute  their  brethren.  Now  if  God  love 
none  but  such  as  love  him,  if  he  be  kind  to  none  but 
such  as  are  friendly  to  him,  what  does  he  more  than 
publicans  ?  What  reward  hath  he  ?  Most,  surely  Je- 
sus never  would  have  inculcated  the  duty  of  loving 
our  enemies  on  the  principle  that  God  hated  his. 
But  he  seemed  to  come  directly  to  the  understanding 
of  the  people  through  the  medium  of  the  rising  sun 
and  falling  rain,  and  presented  them  with  the  real 
character  of  our  heavenly  Father  as  a  perfect  pattern 
for  our  imitation.  Suppose  some  of  the  disciples  of 
Jesus,  on  this  occasion,  had  asked  him  whether  he 
meant  to  be  understood,  that  our  Father  in  heaven  did 
really  love  the  evil  and  the  good,  the  just  and  the  un- 
just, as  impartially  as  he  granted  them  the  light  of  the 
sun  and  the  rain  from  heaven  ?  What  answer  may 
we  believe  the  divine  teacher  would  have  returned  ? 
Would  he  have  said,  I  solemly  charge  you  not  to  be 
deceived  by  these  temporal  things  ?  You  see  that  the 
sun  makes  no  distinction  in  bestowing  its  influence  on 
the  nations  of  the  earth,  it  bounds  not  its  blessings  by 
any  distinctions  in  the  characters  of  men,  it  is  prodi- 
gal of  its  innumerable  blessings  on  the  evil  and  on  the 
good  ;  so  is  the  rain,  likewise  as  entirely  impartial ;  it 
sheds  its  generous  favors  on  all  without  partiality ; 
but  you  are  not  to  suppose  that  these  are  true  indica- 
tions of  the  real  mind  and  disposition  of  your  heavenly 
Father.  In  temporal  things  God  is  "  good  unto  all 
and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works ;"  but  in 

a  * 


30  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

respect  to  the  spiritual  and  eternal  concerns  of  men 
he  has  made  an  infinite  difference.     Those   who   love 
him   and  keep  his  commandments,  he  really  loves  ; 
but  his  enemies  are  the  objects  of  his  burning  wrath, 
and  on  them  will  his  vengeance  be  poured  forth  forev- 
er.    In  reply  to  such  an  answer,  might  not  the  ques- 
tions   which   Jesus  asked  be  returned?      If  ye  love 
them  that  love   you  what  reward  have  ye  ?     do  not 
•  even  the  publicans  the  same?     But  the  divine  teach- 
l  er  would  not  have  been  so  absurdly  inconsistent  with 
himself;  he  would  have  answered  the  supposed  ques- 
tion in  the  affirmative.     We  have  full  liberty  to  be- 
lieve this  and   ample  authority   to  support  it.     The 
contrary  is  the  very  thing  that  he  was  dissuading  the 
people  from  ;  but  the  affirmative  of  the  supposed  ques- 
tion is  what  he  endeavored  to  impress  on  their  minds. 
This  inference  will  be  found  to  be  greatly  strength- 
ened by  a  careful  application  of  our  text  to  the  subject, 
"  Be  ye,  therefore,  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which 
is  in   heaven  is  perfect."     We  are  here  required   to 
have  the  same  quality  of  perfection   as   our  Father  in 
heaven  has.     If  his  perfection  is  qualified  with  hatred 
and  unmerciful  wrath  towards  his  enemies,  then  our 
perfection  must  be  qualified  by  the  same  temper  and 
disposition  towards  our  enemies.     But  if  the  perfec- 
tion of  our  heavenly  Father  is  rendered    gloriously 
bright   by  a  constant  display  of  unchangeable  love  and 
mercy  towards  his  enemies,  then  it  is  plainly  our  duty 
to  strive  to  the  utmost  to  qualify  our  christian   profes- 
sion and  discipleship  of  Jesus,  with  this  blessed  temper 
and  good,  will  to  those   who  are  our  enemies.     Jesus 
said  to  his  disciples,  "  The  disciple  is  not  above  his 
master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  Lord.     It  is  enough 
for  the  disciple  to  be  as  his  master,  and  the  servant  as 
his  Lord."     Those,  therefore,  who  profess  to  love  all 
mankind,   who  pray  for  all  men,  who  say  they  fer- 
vently desire  the  everlasting  happiness  of  the  whole  hu- 
man race,  and  yet  contend  that  their  divine  Lord  and 
Master  loves  but  a    few,  and  has  determined  the  ev- 
erlasting  instruction   of  all    the  rest,  are  guilty  of  su- 
pererogation.    So  far  from  being  contented  to  stop  at 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  31 

the  bounds  by  which  they  limit  the  holy  one,  they  pro- 
fess to  love  those  who  are  held  by  their  creed  to  be 
the  objects  of  the  divine  indignation.     But  here  let  us 

pause  ; Are  these  pretensions  all  real  ?     Cast  aside 

all  prejudice,  and  examine  and  answer  the  following 
question :  Have  professors  generally,  who  have  main- 
tained limited  views  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  yet  pre- 
tended to  love  all  men  themselves,  accompanied  those 
pretensions  with  that  spirit  and  temper  of  love  and 
compassion  toward  those  who  have  differed  from  them 
in  opinion,  which  seem  necessary  to  prove  the  sin- 
cerity of  their  professions  ?  If  this  should  be  allowed, 
how  can  we  account  for  all  the  persecutions  which 
have  characterised  the  christian  churches  for  ages  ? 
How  shall  we  account  for  that  mutual  bitterness,  cold- 
ness and  deeply  rooted  prejudice  visible  among  differ- 
ent denominations,  and  by  which  they  have  so  much 
disturbed  the  peace  of  society  and  of  the  world  ? 
There  is  nothing  of  importance  ever  maintained  in  the 
religious  creeds  of  men,  that  does  not  either  tend  to 
make  them  better,  or  worse ;  and  that  character  which 
we  attribute  to  the  divine  Being,  will  more  or  less  min- 
gle itself  in  our  own  characters.  Hence  we  account 
for  the  endeavors  of  the  Saviour  to  present  our  Father 
in  heaven,  in  a  character  which  he  would  have  his  dis- 
ciples acquire  for  themselves.  He  knew  if  men  en- 
tertain an  opinion  that  the  divine  Being  loves  those 
who  love  him  and  hates  those  who  hate  him,  they 
would  be  likely  to  imitate  what  they  attribute  to  God. 
He  very  well  knew  that  this  was  the  case  with  the 
people  of  his  day,  he  knew  it  had  been  the  case  in  past 
ages,  and  he  knew  that  like  causes  would  produce  like 
effects  ;  and  therefore  as  long  as  men  should  religious- 
ly believe  that  God  loves  some  and  hates  others,  he 
knew  that  bitterness  and  strife  would  continue.  From 
this  thick  cloud  of  darkness,  from  this  deadly  error  the 
doctrine  of  divine  love  to  the  enemies  of  God,  is  the 
only  deliverance.  It  makes  not  the  least  difference 
whether  we  profess  to  be  Christians,  Jews,  Pagans  or 
Mahometans,  if  we  believe  that  God  is  an  enemy  to 
those  who  are  enemies  to  him,  we  shall  be  likely  to 


32  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

exercise   the   same    spirit  and   disposition  which  we 
believe  our  Father  in  heaven   possesses ;  and  we  shall 
justify  ourselves  in  so  doing  by  the  divine  authority. 
Those  who  have  and   maintain  this  erroneous  belief, 
are  seldom  if  ever  at  a  loss  to  know  who  the  friends 
of  God  are,  and  who  are  his  enemies.     They  are  per- 
suaded that  they  have  the  true  faith,  that  they  are  the 
friends  of  God,  and  of  course   God  is  their  friend  ; 
loves  them,  and  will  do  good  to  them  ;  but  those  who 
subscribe  not  to  the  same  particular  creed,  are  ene- 
mies to  God,  are  the  objects  of  his  wrath  and  of  their 
most  bitter  enmity.     Such  people  will  effect  great  con- 
cern for  those  whom  they  esteem  as  the  enemies  of 
the  true  faith,  and  will  frequently  exhort  them  to  make 
God  their  friend,  to  delay  no  time  in  bringing  them- 
selves to  those  terms  and  to  that  condition  which  will 
secure  the  good  will  of  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven. 
But  the  only  way  that  this  can  be  done,  is  to  become 
conformed  to  the  particular  creed  and  formalities   of 
those  who  stile  themselves  the  friends  of  God.     Why 
did  not  our  blessed  Redeemer  in  the  room  of  teaching 
men  that  their  Father  in  heaven  loves  his  enemies,  and 
that  they  must  love  their  enemies  in  order  to  be  like 
him,  exhort  them,  as  we  are  frequently  exhorted,  to 
make  our  Father  in  heaven  our  friend  ?     Answer,  be- 
cause such  an  exhortation  implies  that  God  is  no  bet- 
ter than  the  publicans,  who  love  those  that  love  them, 
and  is  calculated  to  maintain  all  the  partiality  in  faith 
and   practice   from   which   Jesus   came    to   save   the 
world. 

To  conclude  ;  Let  us,  my  brethren,  endeavor  to  seek 
to  the  foundation  of  our  religion,  learn  the  true  charac- 
ter of  our  Father  in  heaven,  and  be  cautious  that  we  nev- 
er consent  to  any  beliel,  which  in  any  way  involves  the 
notion  that  God  ever  was  or  ever  can  be  an  enemy  to 
any  of  the  works  of  his  hands.  And  on  the  immove- 
able rock  of  God's  impartial  love  to  all  men,  let  our 
faith  and  our  hope  rest;  but  not  forgetting  that  the 
benefits  of  this  heavenly  doctrine  of  love  divine  can 
never  be  realised  until  it  works  in  us  a  conformity  to 
its  requirements,  and  brings  us  into  that  heavenly  tern- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  33 

per  and  spirit  by  which  we  shall  love  our  enemie*,  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  us,  and  pray  in  faith,  nothing 
doubting,  for  those  who  despitefully  use  us  and  per- 
secute us.  Let  us  open  our  eyes  to  the  visible  signs 
of  the  love  and  goodness  of  God,  and  read  the  instruc- 
tive lectures,  which  are  delivered  by  a  beneficent  prov- 
idence every  day  and  every  hour,  and  by  them  learn 
that  wisdom  which  is  from  above,  which  "  is  first  pure, 
then  peaceable,  gentle,  and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full 
of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  partiality  and  with- 
out hypocrisy." 


LECTURE  III. 

THE  LAW  CONSISTENT  WITH  THE  PROMISES. 

GALATIANS,   iii.  21. 
Is  the  law  then  against  the  promises  of  God?     God  forbid." 

By  the  manner  of  the  Apostle's  writing  in  this  epis- 
tle, it  appears  evident  that  christians,  even  as  ear- 
ly as  the  time  of  the  Apostles,  were  strongly  inclined 
to  the  opinion,  that  the  works  of  the  law  were  neces- 
sary to  give  validity  and  efficacy  to  the  gospel  of  Je- 
sus Christ.  To  this  agrees  the  account  we  have  in  the 
15th  of  Acts,  where  we  are  informed  that  "  certain 
men,  which  came  down  from  Judea"  to  Antioch, 
"  taught  the  brethren  and  said,  except  ye  be  circum- 
cised after  the  manner  of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved." 
From  such  sentiments  it  appears  the  Apostle  labored 
with  great  earnestness  to  dissuade  his  brethren.  The 
chapter  from  which  our  text  is  chosen  begins  as  fol- 
lows ;  "  O  foolish  Galatians,  who  hath  bewitched  you, 
that  ye  should  not  obey  the  truth,  before  whose  eyes 
Jesus  Christ  hath  been  evidently  set  forth,  crucified 
among  you  ?  This  only  would  I  learn  ot  you  ;  re- 
ceived ye  the  Spirit  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by 
the  hearing  of  faith  ?  Are  ye  so  foolish  ?  having  be- 
gun in  the  Spirit,  are  ye  now  made  perfect  by  the 
flesh  ?"  A  little  attention  to  this  subject  will  discover 
that  by  law  and  flesh  the  author  means  the  same 
thing.  He  endeavored  to  explain  to  his  christian 
brethren  the  design  and  utility  of  the  law,  and  to  show 
that  it  had  neither  power  to  give  the  life  of  faith,  or 
to  render  the  promises  of  the  gospel  covenant  with- 
out effect.     He  stated  the  important  question  on  which 


35  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

his  whole  argument  rested,  and  answered  it  in  our 
text ;  "  Is  the  law  then  against  the  promises  of  God  ? 
God  forbid."  Whatever  is  contained  in  the  promi- 
ses of  God,  be  it  ever  so  much  or  ever  so  good,  it  is 
not  in  the  least  subject  to  be  rendered  null  or  even 
diminished  in  the  least  degree  by  the  law ;  and  on  the 
other  hand  the  promises  of  God  do  in  no  wise  frus- 
trate the  law,  but  the  doctrine  of  the  divine  promises 
does  in  fact  establish  the  law.  To  this  effect  are  the 
words  of  the  Apostles  to  the  Romans  ;  "  Do  we  then 
make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God  forbid  !  yea, 
we  establish  the  law."  Moreover  Jesus  himself  said  ; 
"  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law,  or 
the  prophets :  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to 
fulfil." 

Our  first  inquiry  may  be  directed  to  ascertain  what 
is  contained  in  the  promises  of  God.  This  subject  is 
of  the  utmost  importance,  and  if  duly  considered  can- 
not fail  to  engage  the  attention  of  hearer,  and  draw 
the  mind  of  each  individual  present  to  an  entire  de- 
votion to  the  inquiry  proposed.  The  audience  will 
not  feel,  on  this  subject,  an  idle  indifference  scarcely  to 
be  avoided  while  listening  to  declamations,  authorised 
only  by  human  imaginations.  Nor  can  any  part  of  the 
congregation  feel  a  less  interest  in  the  subject  than  the 
rest,  for  the  promises  about  to  be  examined  are  expres- 
sive of  the  will  of  our  Father  in  heaven  of  whose  divine 
bounty  we  are  all  equal  heirs. 

It  is  natural  for  children  to  listen  with  attention  and 
solicitude  to  the  reading  of  the  will  of  an  earthly  pa- 
rent, even  where  there  is  but  little  left  for  the  heirs, 
for  they  greatly  desire  to  know  if  the  same  good  will 
and  impartial  favor  be  discoverable  in  the  last  expres- 
sions and  latest  testimony  of  parental  love,  as  had  evi- 
dently marked  the  parent's  conduct  through  life.  But 
where  a  vast  fortune  is  left  in  legacies,  self  interest, 
that  ruling  passion  of  the  soul,  renders  attention  ac- 
tive, and  every  one  is  wide  awake ;  and  anxious  to 
know  the  contents  of  this  final  testament.  How  much 
more  then  shall  we  be  desirous  to  acquaint  ourselves 
with  the  promises  of  our  heavenly  Father  which  ex- 


36 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

press  what  he  hath  laid  up  for  us  in  the  covenant  of 
his  grace  ?  With  what  impressions  of  mind  ought  we 
to  commence  this  research  ?  Is  it  proper  that  we  be- 
gin this  examination  with  prepossessions  of  mind  most 
favorable  to  limited  and  ungenerous  principles,  or 
such  as  better  correspond  with  the  divine  goodness 
continually  manifested  in  a  boundless,  rich,  and  mu- 
nificent providence  ?  If  simple  nature  alone  had 
been  our  instructor,  if  we  had  not  been  educated  in  a 
belief  which  limits  the  holy  One,  if  we  were  left  to 
judge  of  the  goodness  of  the  divine  Being,  respecting 
the  moral  and  spiritual  interests  of  his  creatures  from 
his  impartial  goodness  in  his  temporal  providence,  have 
we  the  least  reason  to  believe  that  we  should  be  in  pos- 
session of  notions  opposed  to  the  universality  of  di- 
vine mercy  ?  But  unhappily  for  us,  we  have  early  im- 
bibed illiberal  views  of  God  and  his  goodness,  and  un- 
der this  embarrassment  we  stand  opposed  to  rational 
views  of  universal  goodness;  hence  in  treating  the 
subject  proposed,  arguments  are  needed  which  may 
tend  to  do  away  our  prejudices,  and  to  establish  in  our 
minds  a  doctrine  which  will  be  seen  to  harmonize  with 
the  wonderful  works  and  universal  goodness  of  God. 

The  promises  of  God  of  which  the  Apostle  spake  in 
the  text  are  those  made  to  Abraham,  which  we  may 
learn  from  the  following  in  the  context ;  "  Now  to 
Abraham  and  his  seed  were  the  promises  made.  He 
saith  not  and  to  seeds,  as  of  many  ;  but  as  of  one,  and 
to  thy  seed,  which  is  Christ."  These  promises  made 
to  Abraham  in  Christ,  the  apostle  calls  a  covenant,  a 
he  expresses  in  his  next  words  ;  "  And  this  I  say,  that 
the  covenant  that  was  confirmed  before  of  God  in 
Christ,  the  law,  which  was  four  hundred  and  thirty, 
years  after,  cannot  disannul,  that  it  should  make  the 
promise  of  none  effect.  For  if  the  inheritance  of  the 
the  law,  it  is  no  more  of  promise  ;  but.  God  gave  it  to 
Abraham  by  promise."  By  this  scripture  we  learn 
that  the  promises "made  to  Abraham  are  called  a  cove- 
nant which  was  confirmed  in  Christ ;  and  that  which 
the  promises  contain,  is  called  an  inheritance. 

The  promises  to  Abraham  are  recorded,  Genesis  xii 


37  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

2,  3,  "  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation,  and  I  will 
bless  thee,  and  make  thy  name  great ;  and  thou  shalt 
be  a  blessing.  And  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee, 
and  curse  them  that  curseth  thee  ;  and  in  thee  shall  all 
families  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  xviii.  18.  "  Abraham 
shall  surely  become  a  great  and  mighty  nation,  and  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed  in  him."  xxii. 
18.  "  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
be  blessed."  The  confirmation  of  these  promises  to 
Isaac  is  recorded,  Genesis  xxvi.  3,  4.  "  Sojourn  in  this 
land,  and  I  will  be  with  thee,  and  will  bless  thee  ; 
for  unto  thee,  and  unto  thy  seed,  I  will  give  all  these 
countries  ;  and  I  will  perform  the  oath  which  I  sware 
unto  Abraham  thy  father.  And  I  will  make  thy  seed 
to  multiply  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  I  will  give  un- 
to thy  seed  all  these  countries  ;  and  in  thy  seed  shall 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  The  confir- 
mation of  the  same  promises  to  Jacob  we  read  in  Chap- 
ter xxviii.  14.  "  And  thy  seed  shall  be  as  the  dust  of 
the  earth ;  and  thou  shalt  spread  abroad  to  the  west, 
and  to  the  east,  and  to  the  north,  and  to  the  south : 
and  in  thee,  and  in  thy  seed,  shall  all  the  families  of 
the  earth  be  blessed." 

These  are  the  promises  of  God,  of  which  mention 
is  made  in  our  text,  and  which  our  text  says,  the  law 
is  not  against.  It  may  be  well  now  to  inquire  some- 
thing respecting  the  extensiveness  of  these  promises. 
What  is  the  most  natural  sense  of  such  language  as 
this  ?  "  All  the  nations  of  the  earth,  all  the  families 
of  the  earth;"  and  such  as  St.  Peter  used,  Acts  iii. 
25,  "  Ye  are  the  children  of  the  prophets  and  of  the 
covenant  which  God  made  with  our  fathers,  saying 
unto  Abraham,  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  kindreds 
of  the  earth  be  blessed."  Would  any  person,  having  the 
least  knowledge  of  language,  make  use  of  such  to  ex- 
press something  concerning  a  very  small  part  of  man- 
kind ?  The  learned  and  pious  divines  who  composed 
the  Westminster  Catechism  did  not  make  use  of  such 
language  to  express  the  covenant  of  grace  in  which, 
they  believed.  Their  words  are  the  following  ;  "  GocJ 
having,  out  of  his  mere  good  pleasure,  from  all  eterni 

4 


•> 


ballou's    lectures.  38 

ty,  elected  some  to  everlasting  life,  did  enter  into  a 
covenant  of  grace,  to  deliver  them  out  of  a  state  of 
sin  and  misery,  and  to  bring  them  into  a  state  of  salva- 
tion, by  a  Redeemer."  Will  any  candid  person  say, 
that  this  language  which  the  Westminster  divines  made 
use  of  to  express  their  covenant  of  grace  and  the  lan- 
guage which  God  used  to  express  his  covenant  of 
grace  to  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  are  of  th  e  same 
import  ?  No  one  will  pretend  this.  If  it  had  been  the 
intention  of  those  divines  to  state  the  covenant  of  which 
St.  Peter  spoke  in  Acts  iii.  would  they  not  have  been 
likely  to  make  use  of  such  language  as  he  used,  and 
as  is  used  in  other  parts  of  the  scriptures  on  the  same 
subject  ?  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  this.  But  the 
fact  is,  their  covenant  of  grace  is  not  mentioned  in 
the  whole  of  the  divine  oracles.  It  is  a  most  hu- 
miliating thought,  that  the  wisdom  of  God  should 
have  been  thus  totally  neglected,  and  the  wisdom, 
the  partial,  sensual  wisdom  of  this  world  set  in  its 
stead.  It  is  a  matter  of  most  painful  reflection,  that 
while  the  christian  church  have  made  no  provision  to 
teach  youth  the  gospel  covenant  of  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham, of  Isaac  and  Jacob,  unwearied  pains  and  innu- 
merable means  have  been  employed  to  instruct  them, 
"and  that  right  early,"  in  this  covenant  of  men's  in- 
vention. But,  bv  attending  too  much  to  the  vain  no- 
tions  of  men,  we  shall  get  away  from  our  subject. 
We  will  therefore  observe,  that  the  language  in  which 
the  covenant  which  God  made  with  the  fathers  is  ex- 
pressed, is  as  extensive  as  any  language  that  could 
have  been  used,  unless  more  than  the  whole  human 
family  were  to  be  comprehended :  All  nations  of  the 
earth,  all  the  families  of  the  earth,  and  all  the  kindreds 
of  the  earth,  is  universal ;  and  all  the  partial  creeds  of 
men  acknowledge  it  to  be  so  by  carefully  and  respect- 
fully neglecting  to  use  it. 

Our  next  inquiry  will  seek  to  ascertain  the  blessing 
which  is  promised  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  in  the 
covenant  of  God. 

This  question  is  settled  by  the  testimony  of  the 
Apostle  in  our  context ;  "  And  the  scriptures  forese- 


BALLOU's    LECTURES  39 

seeing  that  God  would  justify  the  heathen  through  faith, 
preached  before  the  gospel  unto  Abraham,  saying,  in 
thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed."  This  blessing  then 
is  justification  through  faith.  Of  this  justification  the 
Apostle  speaks  to  the  Romans  in  language  as  extensive 
as  that  in  which  the  covenant  of  grace  was  expressed 
to  Abraham.  His  words  are  as  follows  ;  "  For  all  have 
sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God  ;  being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  Again  to  the  Romans,  the 
Apostle  speaking  of  Christ,  says  ;  "  Who  was  delivered 
for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justifica- 
tion." The  same  author  in  a  discourse  at  Antioch 
said ;  "  And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how 
that  the  promise  which  was  made  unto  the  fathers, 
God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their  children,  in 
that  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus  again."  The  hearer  is 
requested  to  notice,  that  according  to  the  passages 
quoted,  the  promise  to  Abraham  is  called  the  gospel. 
This  gospel  was  preached  by  God  himself,  and  no 
doubt  was  preached  truly,  and  as  Abraham  believed, 
and  as  we  ought  to  believe  at  this  day.  We  also  see 
that  the  thing  promised,  which  the  Apostle  calls  "  the 
inheritance,"  is  justification  through  faith,  the  word 
faith  meaning  covenant ;  and  moreover,  that  all  that  have 
"sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God,  are  thus 
"justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  Should  the  trite  objection, 
that  this  doctrine  justifies  men  in  sin,  be  moved  in  this 
case,  we  reply  in  the  words  of  divine  truth,  which 
never  speaks  of  justifying  men  in  sin,  but  "from,  all 
things,  from  which  we  could  not  be  justified  by  the 
law  of  Moses."  St.  Peter  applies  the  blessing  which 
God  promised,  in  his  covenant,  to  Abraham,  as  fol- 
lows ;  "  Unto  you  first,  God,  having  raised  up  his  Son 
Jesus,  sent  him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  every 
one  of  you  from  his  iniquities."  One  important  ob- 
ject which  we  have  in  view,  is  to  show  the  nature  of 
the  gospel  salvation,  which  is  salvation  from  sin  and 
all  its  evils. 

The  hearer  is  now  requested  to  consider  the  terms 


(r 


40  BALLOU'S    LECTURES 

or  conditions  of  the  promises,  the  covenant  made  with 
the  fathers,  which  embraces  the  salvation  of  all  the  na- 
tions, all  the  families,  and  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth 
in  Jesus  Christ.     If  these  promises  were  made  on  any 
conditions  of  obedience  on  the  part  of  the  heirs  of  this 
inheritance,  then  unless  these  conditions  are  fulfilled 
we  have  no  right  to  the  promises?     But  blessed,  forev- 
er blessed  be  the  name  of  the  God   of  Abraham,   this 
covenant  rests  on  no  conditions  of  man's  obedience. 
There  is  not  a  word  in  the  promises  made  to  the  fath- 
ers,   that   intimates    any    condition    on    the    part  of 
those    who    were  to  be  blessed.     Our  heavenly   Fath- 
er here  manifests  his  own  unchangeable,  uninfluenced, 
unconditional  good   will    and  gracious  purpose  con- 
cerning all  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Adam.     "  God, 
willing  more  abundantly,   to  show  unto  the  heirs  of 
promise,  the  immutability  of  his  counsel,   confirmed  it 
by  an  oath  ;  for  when  God  made  promise  to  Abraham, 
Decause  he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he  swear   by 
himself."     And  the  design  of  this  oath  was,  '*  that  we 
might  have  strong  consolation  who  have  fled  for  refuge 
to  lay  hold  on  the  hope  set  before  us." 

Corresponding   with    the    unconditionality    of    the 
"  covenant  of  promise,"  we  may  notice  a  passage  or 
two  from  the  prophet  Isaiah  and  St.  Paul.     The  evan- 
gelical   propiiet   uses   language  in  his    26th  Chapter 
which  corresponds  in  three  important  points   with   the 
language  of  the  divine  promises.     1st.  It  is  universal 
2d. — It.  contains  the  testimony  of  life ;  and  3d.  The 
language  is  positive,   not   conditional.     The    passage 
reads  as  follows  ;  "  And  in  this  mountain  shall  the  Lord 
of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,  of 
wines  on  the  lees  ;  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,    of 
wines  on   the  lees  well  refined.     And  he  will  destroy 
in    this  mountain   the  face  of  the  covering  cast  over 
all  people,  and  the  vail  that  is  spread  over  all  nations. 
He  will  swallow  up  death    in  victory  ;  and  the  Lord 
God  will  wipe  away  tears  from  all  faces  ;  and  the  re- 
buke of  his  people  shall  he  take  away  from  off  all   the 
earth  ;    for  the    Lord  hath    spoken    it."     In    his    9th 
Chapter,  speaking  of  the  Messiah,  he  says,  "  For  unto 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  41 

us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given,  and  the 
government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulders;  and  his  name 
shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  mighty 
God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  peace.  Of 
the  increase  of  his  goverment  and  peace  there  shall  be 
no  end."  No  comments  are  necessary  to  show,  that 
the  language  quoted  from  the  prophet  corresponds 
with  that  in  which  the  "  covenant  of  promise"  is  re- 
corded. % 

That  the  salvation  of  the  gospel  is  not  according  to 
the  works  of  men,  St.  Paul's  testimony  to   Timothy 
fully  shows  ;  "  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with 
an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  ac- 
cording to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  giv- 
en us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began  ;  but  is 
now  made  manifest  by  the  appearing  of  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  who  hath    abolished    death,  and    hath 
brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gos- 
pel."    To  Titus  he  says  ;  "  Not  by  works  of  right- 
eousness which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
mercy  he  saved  us."     On  the  same  subject,  to   the 
Ephesians   he   says ;  "  Not  of  works,    lest  any   man 
should   boast."     The  passage  just  quoted  from   the 
the  epistle  to  Timothy  is  remarkable  for  its  clearness 
on  our  subject :  "Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us 
with  an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works."     It 
this  salvation  and  calling  were  not  according   to  the 
works,  of  those  who  were  saved,  then  it  must  be  ac- 
cording to  something  else.     And  this  something  must 
form  a  principle  on  which  God  could  act  with  perfect 
consistency,  with   holiness,  justice   and   truth.      The 
Apostle  says  ;  "  Put  according  to  his  own  purpose  and 
grace,  which  was  given  us  in   Christ  Jesus  before  the 
world   began,  to  save  men,   not   according   to   their 
works.     To  this  argument  the  objector  will  reply,  that 
it  is  evident  according  to  scripture  and  according  to 
reason    and  the  fitness  of  things,  that  men   should  be 
dealt  with  according  to  their  merit  and  demerit.      The 
objector  will  contend,   that  this  is  according  to  the 
law  given  to  Israel  by  Moses,  and  is  likewise  accord- 
ing to  the  law  given  to  the  Gentiles,  written  in  their 

4* 


42  BALLOTS    LECTURES 

heart.  To  all  this  we  give  our  full  and  cordial  con- 
sent, and  proceed  to  show  that  this  is  no  real  objection 
against  the  salvation  for  which  we  have  contended, 
by  illustrating  the  fact  stated  in  our  text,  that  the  law 
is  not  against  the  promises  of  God. 

This  the  Apostle  has  done  in  our  context,  in  a  very 
able  and  concise  manner.  His  argument  is  the  fol- 
lowing, which  has  been  already  quoted  on  another 
subject ;  "  And  this  I  say,  that  the  covenant  that  was 
confirmed  before  of  God  in  Christ,  the  law,  which 
was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  cannot  dis- 
annul, that  it  should  make  the  promise  of  none  ef- 
fect." 

Never  was  there  an  argument  more  clear  and  con- 
clusive. In  order  that  the  law  have  might  any  power 
to  control  the  covenant  of  promise  it  should  have  exist- 
ed prior  to,  or  at  least  simultaneous  with  it;  and  then 
there  must  have  been  conditions  in  the  covenant  of 
promise  of  which  the  law  should  have  power  to  take 
cognizance.  If  the  objector  further  contend,  that  the 
moral  nature  of  the  law  did  exist  at  the  time  and  even 
before  the  promise  was  made  to  Abraham,  we  grant 
the  fact,  and  say :  if  it  were  consistent  with  the  moral 
nature  of  the  law,  for  God  to  make  such  promises,  it 
certainly  cannot  be  contrary  to  it,  for  him  to  fulfd 
them.  It  was  the  same  God  who  gave  the  law  to 
man,  that  made  the  promises  to  the  father  of  the  faith- 
ful :  and  nothing  can  be  more  unreasonable  than  to 
suppose,  that  he  either  made  a  law  against  his  own 
promises,  or  promises  against  his  own  law. 

The  true  design  of  the  law,  in  relation  to  the  gospel 
which  was  preached  unto  Abraham,  is  represented  by 
a  well  chosen  metaphor  in  the  chapter  where  our  text 
is  found,  "  Wherefore  the  law  was  our  schoolmaster 
to  bring  us  unto  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified  by 
faith."  As  the  appointment  of  a  schoolmaster  is  cer- 
tainly for  the  benefit  of  the  pupils ;  to  instruct  and 
discipline  them  for  advancement  in  duties  and  in  en- 
joyments, so  the  law  was  designed  to  instruct  and 
discipline  mankind  for  the  sublime  duties  and  enjoy- 
ments of  the  religion  of   Jesus    Christ.     While  his 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  A3 

thildren  are  at  school,  or  even  before  they  are  of  age 
to  profit  by  such  an  institution,  the  kind  affectionate 
father  may  will  to  his  children  independent  fortunes. 
These  minors  may,  notwithstanding  they  are  heirs  to 
this  testament  of  their  fathers's,  be  kept  at  school, 
be  instructed  and  disciplined  by  a  faithful  master 
until  the  time  appointed  of  the  father  for  them  to  come 
into  possession  of  their  inheritance,  and  to  be  free  from 
the  government  of  the  school.  In  this  simile  it  is  easy 
to  see,  that  the  children  were  dealt  with  according 
to  their  merit  and  demerit ;  the  schoolmaster  could  do 
his  whole  duty  to  his  pupils  without  concerning  himself 
about  their  father's  will.  His  authority  did  not  extend 
to  take  cognizance  of  that  instrument  of  grace,  nor  did 
that  testament  which  made  these  children  vastly  rich 
infringe  in  the  least  on  the  authority  of  the  school- 
master. There  is  no  power  in  the  will  to  screen  the 
disobedient  scholar  from  the  faithful  hand  of  righteous 
discipline.  These  two  dispensations  harmonise  in  do- 
ing good  to  the  same  persons,  in  their  respective  ways. 
In  relation  to  our  subject,  the  Apostle  says  in  connex- 
ion with  our  text ;  "  Now  I  say,  that  the  heir,  as  long 
as  he  is  a  child,  dhTereth  nothing  from  a  servant 
though  he  be  lord  of  all ;  but  is  under  tutors  and 
governors,  until  the  time  appointed  of  the  Father. 
Even  so  we,  when  we  were  children,  were  in  bond- 
age under  the  elements  of  the  world." 

But  the  objector  urges  that  it  is  written  ;  "  cursed 
is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them ;  "  and  "  the  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shall  die."  Let  this  all  be  granted; 
and  let  it  stand  without  attempting  to  weaken  it  in  the 
least ;  but  let  us  remember  with  gratitude  and  joy  of 
heart,  that  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse 
of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us."  And  also, 
that  those  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sins, 
hath  God  quickened  together  with  Christ.  It  is  true, 
'  the  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  "  but  it  is  also  true  that 
1  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord." 

Will  the  objector  now  say,  that  the  curse  of  the  law 


44  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

is  eternal  death,  and  therefore  if  this  curse  came  upon 
any,  they  cannot  obtain  salvation?  Then  we  reply 
and  say  ;  this  objection  does  not  rest  on  the  divine 
testimony.  The  words  "  eternal  death,"  are  not  in 
the  scriptures.  The  objector,  therefore,  has  no  right 
to  require  any  further  reply.  The  text  says  ;  cursed 
is  every  one,"  &c.  It  docs  not  say  ;  cursed  shall  be 
every  one  in  the  eternal  world,  who  continueth  not  in 
all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them, 
in  this  world. 

To  the  Corinthians  the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  minis- 
tration of  the  law  as  a  ministration  of  death,  but  he  by 
no  means  allows  it  either  an  eternal  duration,  or  power 
to  prevent  in  the  least  degree,  the  ministration  of  life. 
He  speaks  as  follows  ;  "  Who  also  hath  made  us  able 
ministers  of  the  new- testament,  not  of  the  letter,  but  of 
the  spirit ;  for  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth 
life.  But  if  the  ministration  of  death,  written  and  en- 
graven in  stones,  was  glorious,  so  that  the  children  of 
Israel  could  not  steadfastly  behold  the  face  of  Moses; 
for  the  glory  of  his  countenance,  which  glory  was  to 
be  done  away  ;  how  shall  not  the  ministration  of  the 
spirit  be  rather  glorious  ?  For  if  the  ministration  of 
condemnation  be  glory,  much  more  doth  the  ministra- 
tion of  righteousness  exceed  in  glory.  For  even  that 
which  was  made  glorious,  had  no  glory  in  this  respect, 
by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth.  For  if  that 
which    was    done    away  was     glorious,  much    more 

that  which  remaineth  is  glorious." 

We  see,  by  the  Apostle's  reasoning,  that  the  law 
dispensation,  being  a  ministration  of  death,  "  was  to 
be  done  away,"  and  succeeded  with  the  ministration 
of  righteousness  ;  but  that  these  dispensations  are  op- 
posed to  each  other  is  not  allowed  by  any  scripture 
argument. 

This  doctrine,  that  the  law  is  not  against  the  pro- 
mises of  God,  which  we  find  abundantly  proved  from 
the  scriptures  which  have  been  noticed,  is  a  doctrine 
which  is  plainly  taught  in  the  economy  of  divine  provi- 
dence and  in  the  most  essential  goveremeut  embraced 
in  human  concerns ;  I  mean  the  government  and  econ- 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  45 

omy  of  a  family.  In  the  divine  providence,  God  has 
promised  (and  he  fulfils  his  word)  that  there  shall  be 
summer  and  winter,  seed  time  and  harvest.  These 
blessings  do  not  depend  on  men,  men  depend  on  them  ; 
man's  labor  does  not  call  them  forth,  but  they  call  men 
to  their  work  ;  and  accordingly  as  they  labor  and  wise- 
ly improve  their  advantages,  they  are  rewarded.  If 
they  neglect  the  duties  of  the  season,  they  are  recom- 
pensed with  want.  In  a  family  government  and  econ- 
omy, there  are  many  favors  bestowed  on  children,  that 
in  the  nature  of  things,  cannot  depend  on  the  obedi- 
ence of  those  who  receive  them.  How  many  favors 
does  parental  love  bestow  on  infancy,  favors  essential  to 
life,  long  before  the  subjects  are  capable  of  knowing  on 
whom  they  depend  for  support  ?  And  in  the  last  will 
and  testament  of  parental  provision,  how  many  valua- 
ble legacies  are  bestowed  on  children,  to  which  they 
had  no  other  claim  but  heirship  ?  But  all  these  bles- 
sings which  are  entirely  independent  of  the  conduct  of 
children,  have  no  power  to  prevent  the  reasonable  ex- 
ercise of  a  proper  discipline  during  that  period  in  which 
the  offspring  are  objects  of  such  an  economy.  And  on 
the  other  hand,  it  is  as  plainly  seen,  that  this  discipline 
has  no  power  to  oppose  the  interest  which  the  child 
holds  by  heirship  ;  but  then  one  seems  to  establish  the 
other  ;  for  that  relation  which  gives  the  right  to  ad- 
minster  discipline,  holds  also  the  right  of  heirship. 

From  the  several  points  of  doctrine,  which  we  have 
endeavored  to  support,  the  following  inferences  may 
be  drawn. 

1st.  There  is,  according  to  the  scriptures,  in  the 
moral  government,  of  our  heavenly  Father,  a  wisely 
concerted  discipline,  by  which  the  faults  of  men  are 
duly  noticed  and  faithfully  and  compassionately  chas- 
tised. But  it  is  not  consistent  with  the  design  of  this 
dispensation  to  extend  correction  or  punishment  for 
sin,  so  as,  in  any  way,  to  deprive,  even  the  sinner,  of 
the  everlasting  inheritance  which  belongs  to  the  sons 
of  God. 

The  opinion,  therefore,  that  the  law  of  God  demands 
the  everlasting,  or  eternal  punishment  of  sinners  is,  by 


46  BALLOUS*     LECTURES. 

no  means  a  scripture  doctrine ;  for  surely  such  a  doc- 
trine would  prove  that  the  law  was  against  the  promi- 
ses. Such  a  law,  in  the  room  of  being  a  schoolmaster 
to  bring  us  to  Christ,  would  be  an  unmerciful  tyrant, 
like  Pharoah,  who  held  the  people  of  God  in  bondage, 
and  refused  to  let  them  go.  This  divine  law  and  dis- 
cipline of  our  heavenly  Father  admonishes  us  to  take 
heed  to  our  ways  Hereby  we  are  advised,  command- 
ed, admonished,  rebuked,  warned,  threatened ;  and  in 
case  of  obstinate  disobedience,  and  continuance  in  sin, 
we  are  severely  punished.  But  let  us  always  remem- 
ber that  the  chastisements  of  our  heavenly  Father 
are  for  our  profit,  that  we  may  be  partakers  of  his  ho- 
liness. 

2d.  We  may  infer  from  the  doctrine  we  have  main- 
tained, that  the  sense  of  what  St.  Peter  said  to  the 
Jews  is  equally  true  respecting  all  men ;  "  Ye  are  the 
children  of  the  prophets,  and  of  the  covenant  which 
God  made  with  our  fathers  saying  unto  Abraham,  and 
in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  be  bless- 
ed.'' Those  to  whom  St.  Peter  spake  these  words, 
were  those  who  delivered  up  Jesus  and  denied  him  in 
the  presence  of  Pilate ;  they  were  those  who  denied 
the  holy  One  and  the  just,  and  desired  a  murderer  to 
be  granted  unto  them,  and  killed  the  Prince  of  life. 
"  These,"  Peter  said,  "  were  the  children  of  the  pro- 
phets, and  of  the  covenant  which  God  made  with  our 
fathers."  Now  as  the  promise  of  the  covenant  was  to 
"  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth,  and  as  the  testimony  of 
the  prophets  was  equally  extensive,  we  conclude  that 
all  the  families,  all  the  nations,  and  all  the  kindreds  of 
the  earth"  are  the  children  of  the  prophetic  testimony, 
and  of  the  covenant  of  promise.  The  blessing  prom- 
ised was  also  mentioned  by  this  Apostle  as  has  been 
noticed ;  "  Unto  you  first,  God,  having  raised  up  his 
Son  Jesus,  sent  him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  ev- 
ery one  of  you,  from  his  iniquities. 

Let  us  conclude  with  the  Apostle's  exhortations 
"  Stand  fast,  therefore,  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ 
hath  made  us  free,  and  be  not  entangled  again  with 
the  yoke  of  bondage." 


LECTURE    IV 


LOVE    THE    CENTRE     OF    ALL    THE  DIVINE     ATTRIBUTES 

1    JOHN  iv.  16. 

God  is  love. 

In  the  infinite  variety  of  all  important  subjeets  to 
which  the  rich  treasures  of  divine  revelation  call  our 
most  serious  and  engaged  attention,  this,  expressed  in 
our  text,  is  unquestionably  entitled  to  the  highest  rank. 
However  the  thoughtless  and  profane  may  treat  the 
Supreme  disposer  of  all  things,  however  trifling  the 
name  of  the  Most  High  may  be  handed  round  by  pol- 
luted lips,  one  moment's  serious  attention  to  the  im- 
propriety of  such  communication  is  sufficient  to  con- 
vince the  reasonable  mind,  that  God  is  a  subject  in- 
finitely too  great  to  be  introduced  into  trifling  conver- 
sation, and  infinitely  too  good  to  be  mentioned  by  pro- 
fane lips.  But  notwithstanding  the  impropriety  and 
evil,  of  which  mention  has  been  made,  are  great  and 
heineous,  they  bear  but  a  scant  comparison  with  the 
impropriety  and  evil  of  representing  the  great  Father 
of  our  spirits  as  a  character  which  would  be  dishon- 
orable to  man,  who  is  but  a  worm  of  the  dust. 

If  we  lay  aside  the  prejudices  which  the  creeds  of 
men  have  carefully  treasured  up  in  our  deceitful  hearts, 
we  shall  at  once  be  struck  with  horror  at  the  charac- 
ter which  a  false  education  has  given  to  the  best  of  all 
intelligent  beings.  The  moral  evil  naturally  growing 
from  false  notions  of  the  divine  character,  has  so  estab- 
lished its  empire  in  the  hearts  of  men,  and  exercises 
such  unresisted  control  over  the  temper  and  spirit  of 
those  who  are  deceived  by  such  notions,  that  there  ap- 
pears but  one  remedy ;  and  this  one  must  be  found  in 


48  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

the  removing  of  those  errors,  by  the  clear  shining  of 
divine  truth  in  the  understanding.  The  particular 
and  most  special  object  of  the  present  discourse  is  to 
contribute,  at  least,  a  humble  attempt  to  remove 
wrong  views  of  God  from  the  mind,  by  showing  that 
all  the  divine  attributes  harmonize  in  love  ;  which  view 
of  the  character  of  our  heavenly  Father,  seems  evident- 
ly comprehended  in  the  text  of  which  choice  has  been 
made. 

There  are  but  a  few  passages  of  scripture  which 
speak  in  a  direct  manner  of  what  God  is.  He  is  call- 
ed a  "fountain  of  living  waters"  by  the  Prophet 
Jeremiah.  "My  people  have  committed  two  evils: 
they  have  forsaken  me,  the  fountain  of  living  wa- 
ters, and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns, 
that  can  hold  no  water."  This  is  a  most  striking  re- 
presentation  of  true  and  false  religion.  Love  is  a 
fountain  of  living  waters.  It  is  a  living  fountain,  one 
that  is  never  dry.  This  is  true  religion  ;  it  has  no  ha- 
tred in  it ;  it  works  no  ill  to  its  neighbor  ;  it  measures 
to  others  what  it  is  willing  to  receive.  But  false  re- 
ligion is  any  thing  and  every  thing  but  love.  It  is 
something  hewed  out ;  that  is,  it  is  the  work  of  inven- 
tion and  art.  The  living  water  of  divine  love  is  not 
in  it.  It  pretends  to  love,  but  hatred  is  its  most  es- 
sential ingredient.  It  is  based  on  enmity.  If  we  dis- 
allow enmity,  false  religion  cries  out,  heresy,  the  foun- 
dation of  religion  is  gone  ! — St.  Paul  says  ;  "  Our  God 
is  a  consuming  fire."  Love  is  a  consuming  fire  to  all 
the  hay,  wood,  and  stubble  which  error  has  introduc- 
ed into  religion.  "  Now,  if  any  man  'build  upon  this 
foundation,  gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay, 
stubble ;  every  man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest : 
for  the  day  shall  declare  it,  and  the  fire  shall  try  every 
man's  work  of. what  sort  it  is.  If  any  man's  work 
abide  which  he  hath  built  thereupon,  he  shall  receive 
a  reward.  If  any  man's  work  shall  be  burnt,  he  sha]l 
suffer  loss ;  but  he  himself  shall  be  saved  :  Yet  so  as 
by  fire."  The  fire  of  divine  love  seeks  to  consume 
nothing  but  that  which  is  injurious  to  the  sinner,  who 
is  the  object  of  divine  love. 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  49 

The  divine  teacher  said  to  the  woman  of  Samaria ; 
u  God  is  a  spirit,  and  secketk  such  to  worship  him, 
who  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth"  Love  is 
this  spirit  of  God,  and  love  is  the  spirit  in  which  God  is 
truly  worshipped.  "  God  is  love  ;  and  he  that  dwell- 
eth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him." 

It  may  tend  to  promote  the  object  in  view  to  men- 
tion a  summary  of  moral  attributes,  and  proceed  to  no- 
tice them  both  distinctly  and  conjunctively,  by  which 
their  harmony  in  divine  love  may  be  made  to  appear. 
We  read  in  Revelations,  of  the  "  Seven  spirits  of 
God,"  which  we  may  suppose  comprehend  the  per- 
fection of  the  communicable  attributes  of  the  divine 
Being.  Without  any  design  to  be  arbitrary,  we  will 
name  seven  moral  attributes ;  and  though  some  may 
think  a  less  number  would  comprehend  the  whole, 
and  others,  that  a  much  greater  number  should  be 
mentioned,  it  seems  safe  to  calculate  that  the  perfect 
number,  seven,  was  designed  to  comprehend  the  whole 
and  nothing  more. — And  if  we  may  be  favored  with  a 
view  of  the  harmony  of  the  seven  which  we  shall  name, 
no  doubt  the  candid  mind  will  be  satisfied,  that  if  more 
moral  attributes  could  be  named,  they  would  all  be 
found  to  harmonize  in  love. 

The  seven  we  shall  name  are  the  following :  Wis- 
dom, Knowledge,  Power,  Justice,  Truth,  Mercy, — and 
Love  in  which  they  all  harmonize. 

Wisdom  is  that  attribute  of  mind  by  which  designs 
are  drawn  and  plans  are  laid.  It  regards  things,  cir- 
cumstances, causes  and  effects  as  they  relate  to  each 
other.  The  wisdom  of  any  plan  is  seen  in  the  co- 
operation of  its  several  parts  tending  efficiently  to  pro- 
duce what  the  projector  designs.  Should  any  part  of 
a  plan  fail  of  eventuating  in  the  object  designed,  that 
failure,  were  it  ever  so  small,  would  prove  a  lack  of 
wisdom  in  drawing  the  plan. 

When  we  view  the  visible  objects  of  creation,  their 
existence  seems  to  fill  the  mind  with  admiration,  and 
as  soon  as  our  thoughts  advance  to  the  consideration 
of  the  regular  motions  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  wisdom 
irresistibly  attracts  our  notice,  and  seems  to  waken  up 
5 


50  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

a  spark  of  devotion  to  the  great  Author  of  the  uni- 
verse. Continuing  to  meditate  on  the  order,  regularity, 
and  harmony  of  the  works  of  nature  and  providence  ; 
and  to  notice  the  concatenation  of  causes  and  effects 
which  produce  whatever  is  fit  and  good  in  the  order 
and  nature  of  things,  no  language  seems  more  proper 
than  that  of  the  Psalmist;  "  O  Lord,  how  manfold  are 
thy  works  !  in  wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all." 

Knowledge  is  a  principle  of  intellectual  nature  by 
which  the  simple  facts  relating  to  things  are  compre- 
hended or  understood.  This  attribute  in  God  is  an 
all-seeing  eye  ;  from  its  pervading  sight  nothing  can 
be  hid.  Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world. 

Power  in  the  divine  Being  is  that  ability  by  which 
all  the  purposes  of  his  vast  and  infinite  scheme  are  car- 
ried into  execution.'  "  Who  worketh  all  things  after 
the  counsel  of  his  own  will." 

Justice  is  that  attribute  of  God,  by  which  a  right- 
eous and  equitable  administration  is  directed  towards 
all  moral  accountable  beings ;  and  by  which  every 
such  being  receives  a  just  recompence  of  reward  ac- 
cordingly as  moral  powers  are  exercised.  Divine  justice 
likewise  requires  that  all  moral  beings  should  act  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  discharge  every  duty  and  obligation 
which  the  connexions  and  relations  in  which  thev  are 
placed  render  necessary.  "  Justice  and  judgment  are" 
the  habitations  of  his  throne." 

Truth  is  whatever  is  opposed  to  falsehood,  and  is  the 
reality  of  all  things,  circumstances  and  events,  past, 
present  and  future.  This  is  forever  with  him  who 
varies  not,  for  "  He  is  the  Rock,  his  work  is  perfect ; 
for  all  his  ways  are  judgment;  a  God  of  truth,  and 
without  iniquity,  just  and  right  is  he." 

Mercy  is  that  divine  perfection  of  God  which  pities 
and  relieves  from  sin  and  wretchedness,  those  who 
stand  in  need  of  such  compassion,  "  For  the  Lord  is 
good ;  his  mercy  is  everlasting  ;  and  his  truth  endur- 
eth  to  all  generations."  "  According  to  his  mercy  he 
saved  us." 

Love  is  a  property  which  delights  in  an  object,  care- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  51 

fully  avoids  doing  it  any  harm,  and  uses  all  its  means 
to  administer  good ;  "God  is  love." — Now,  as  it  is  the 
fixed,  unalterable  nature  of  love  to  do  good  to  all  the 
beings  who  are  its  objects,  and  to  render  them  as  bless- 
ed as  possible  with  the  use  of  all  the  means  which  love 
can  command,  it  is  seen  at  once,  that  whatever  plans 
are  laid  so  as  to  promote  the  best  interest  of  those 
creatures  who  are  the  objects  of  the  divine  love,  is  in 
feet  the  wisdom  of  God ;  and  as  those  plans,  perfectly 
harmonize  with  the  benevolent  purposes  of  love,  it  is 
evident  that  the  wisdom  which  contrived  them  is  in 
perfect  unison  with  love. 

We  here  find  a  fair  opportunity  to  look  into  the  ex- 
tent of  the  goodness  of  God,  and  that  salvation  which 
is  brought  to  man  by  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  said  to  be 
"  The  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God."     "  For 
God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begot- 
ten Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him   should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.     For  God  sent  not 
his  Son  into   the  world  to  condemn  the  world  ;  but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved."     God  so 
loved  the  world  that  he  sent  his  own  wisdom  that  the 
world  might  be  saved  by  it.     If  the  wisdom  of  God  is 
not  in  perfect  harmony  with  his  love,  he  surely  would 
not  have  sent  his  wisdom  to  carry  into  effect  the  pur- 
poses of  love.     "  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved 
God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the 
propitiation  for  our  sins."     Here  both   the  object  and 
the  means  are  clearly  set  forth.     God  loved  us  while 
we  did  not  love  him.      In  consequence  of  this  love  he 
designed  to  do  us  a  favor.     The  means  which  he  used 
was  to  send  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins. 
But  if  by  becoming  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  no 
benefit,  but  an  injury  should  result  to  those  whom 
God  loved  then  the  means  would  frustrate  the  object 
and  prove  the  want  of  wisdom  in  the  plan. 

There  is  a  doctrine  in  the  christian  church,  that 
contends,  that  millions,  yea  far  the  greatest  part  of  the 
human  family  will  be  infinitely  more  miserable  in  the 
eternal  world,  than  they  would  have  been  if  Jesus  had 
never  come  into  the  world  and  died  for  their  sins.     If 


52  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

this  doctrine  be  allowed  to  stand  in  harmony  with  the 
wisdom  of  God,  it  must  be  granted  that  his  wis- 
dom is  hostile  to  his  love,  for  "  love  worketh  no 
ill."  But  the  divine  testimony  assures  us,  that  "  God 
sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world, 
but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved."  If 
therefore,  the  world  or  any  part  of  the  world  should 
fail  of  salvation,  and  be  made  miserable  in  the  future 
world  in  consequence  of  what  Christ  has  done,  the 
thing  for  which  he  was  sent  not  being  fulfilled,  and 
that  for  which  he  was  not  sent  being  effected,  proves 
the  want  of  wisdom  in  the  plan. 

How  is  it  possible  for  God  to  exercise  a  wisdom 
which  is  infinite  in  a  way  to  frustrate  the  design  of 
his  own  immutable  love  ?  If  we  examine  ever  so 
minutely  into  the  plans  and  schemes,  the  causes  and 
effects,  the  immense,  the  subtle  and  the  various  work- 
ings of  divine  providence,  are  we  not  the  more  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  of  that  ancient  declaration,  "The 
Lord  is  good  unto  all  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over 
all  his  works!"  As  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  this  testi- 
mony the  Prophet  further  observes;  "Thou  openest 
thine  hand  and  satisfiest  the  desire  of  every  living 
thing."  This  is  the  way  by  which  God  makes  him- 
self known  to  be  good  to  his  creatures,  that  is,  by  act- 
ually doing  them  good.  St.  Paul  said,  "  Nevertheless 
he  left  not  himself  without  witness,  in  that  he  did 
good,  and  gave  us  rain  from  heaven,  and  fruitful  sea- 
sons, filling  our  hearts  with  food  and  gladness."  How 
immense  are  the  love,  the  goodness  of  God  which  are 
manifested  continually  in  the  temporal  bounties  of  his 
universal  providence.  Cast  your  eyes  round  on  every 
side,  carefully  inspect  the  condition  of  every  living 
thing,  and  say  whether  the  wisdom  of  God  does  not 
harmonize  with  universal  love.  And  yet  the  Apostle 
allows  all  this  luminous  evidence  to  be  no  more  than 
twilight  compared  with  the  more  perfect  display  of  the 
divine  goodness  in  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ ;  for  notwithstanding  the  evidence  of  di- 
vine goodness  which  were  continually  manifested  in 
the  munificient  providence  of  God,  the  people,  who 


'q     T.F.riTlTRr.S.  53 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 


were  the  subjects  of  such  goodness,  were  ignorant  of 
him  and  walked  in  their  own  way  ;  concerning  which 
the  Apostle  says  ;  "  The  times  of  this  ignorance  God 
winked  at,  but  now  commandeth  all  men  every  where 
to  repent."  This  special  command  to  repent  and  turn 
from  dumb  idols  to  serve  the  living  God,  was  given 
forth  in  the  more  glorious  evidences  of  the  mercy  and 
goodness  of  God  communicated  in  the  gospel. 

An  attempt  to  illustrate  the  wisdom  which  charac- 
terises the  scheme  of  the  gospel,  and  the  harmony  of 
its  several  parts,  as  set  forth  in  the  scriptures,  would 
be  a  much  more  extensive  undertaking  than  our  pres- 
ent limits  would  justify,  if  there  were  no  want  of  abili- 
ty to  do  justice  to  such  a  subject.  It  may  therefore 
suffice  to  remark,  that  by  a  careful  attention  to  ancient 
promises  and  prophecies  concerning  a  Messiah,  his  ap- 
pearance in  the  world,  the  wonderful  works  wrought 
by  his  miraculous  power;  the  shameful  treatment 
which  he  received  among  men,  his  death,  and  the  mans 
ner  of  it,  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  the  infallible 
proofs  of  the  same,  his  ascension,  the  gifts  bestowed 
on  the  Apostles  whom  he  appointed  to  promulgate  his 
gospel,  and  the  wonderful  success  which  attended 
their  ministry,  by  which  the  religion  of  Jesus  was  es- 
tablished on  a  foundation  which  can  never  be  removed, 
we  are  led  to  say  ;  "  This  is  the  Lord's  doings,  and 
it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes." 

Who  will  undertake  to  point  out  a  single  item  in  all 
this  vast  scheme  of  infinite  wisdom  which  does  not 
perfectly  harmonise  with  the  love  of  God  to  mankind. 
"  God  commendeth  his  love  towards  us,  in  that  while 
we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us."  "  We 
preach  Christ  crucified,  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling-block, 
and  to  the  Greeks,  foolishness ;  but  unto  them  who 
are  called  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  wisdom  of 
God  and  the  power  of  God."  This  is  that  "  wisdom 
that  is  from  above,  which  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable, 
gentle,  and  easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and 
good  fruits,  without  partiality  and  without  hypocrisy." 
This  is  that  wisdom  which  was  with  the  Almighty 
when  he  created  all  things,  "  rejoicing  always  before 

5* 


54  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

him  ;  rejoicing  in  the  habitable  part  of  his  earth  and 
whose  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men." 

That  the  divine  knowledge  is  in  perfect  unison  with 
the  love  of  God  to  his  creatures,  we  must  grant  for 
many  reasons,  some  of  which  are  the  following. 

First.  That  we  may  avoid  introducing  imperfection 
into  the  divine  nature,  which  is  nothing  short  of  idola- 
try. Whenever  a  desire  to  do  good  is  in  exercise,  and 
the  person  who  possesses  this  desire  knows  for  certain- 
ty, that  this  desire  can  never  be  realized  or  accom- 
plished, there  is  proof  positive  of  imperfection. 

Secondly.  That  we  may  avoid  introducing  infelici- 
ty into  the  divine  Being.  For  if  his  universal  un- 
changeable love  run  in  one  straight  line,  and  his  in- 
fallible knowledge  disagree  with  it,  we  must  allowT  that 
this  disagreement  produces  an  infelicity  whose  mag- 
nitude corresponds  with  the  greatness  of  those  infinite, 
discordant  attributes!  Whoever  .possesses  love  which 
inclines  the  agent  to  do  good  to  another,  and  knows 
at  the  same  time  that  this  will  never  be  effected,  must, 
in  the  nature  of  things,  be  unhappy  to  a  degree  which 
corresponds  with  the  force  of  this  forever  unsatisfied 
desire. 

Thirdly.  That  we  may  avoid  charging  God  with  fol- 
ly, which  we  should  most  surely  do  if  we  suppose  that 
in  consequence  of  his  love  to  the  w7orld  he  sent  his  Son 
to  save  the  world,  when  at  the  same  time  he  knew  that 
this  salvation  would  not  be  effected.  Should  a  pa- 
rent who  tenderly  loves  his  child  see  it  in  distress,  no 
doubt  he  would  try  all  means  which  should  appear  at 
all  favorable  to  relieve  it ;  but,  while  he  had  reason, 
he  would  never  make  use  of  means  which  he  knew 
would,  in  the  room  of  relieving  from  distress,  increase 
it  seven  fold.  The  divine  testimony  says  ;  "  God  will 
have  all  men  to  be  saved,"  and  that  as  a  mean  of  this 
salvation,  the  one  Mediator  "  gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  all."  Now  if  we  allow  that  the  divine  knowledge 
comprehended  the  fact  that  all  men  will  not  be  saved, 
we  surely  charge  God  with  the  folly  of  using  means  to 
effect  what  he  knew  would  not  be  effected.  There 
are  among  men,  many  who  are  called  learned,  and 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  55 

many  who  are  unlearned,  who  are   fully   persuaded, 
that  all  the  means  which  our  heavenly  Father  has  seen 
fit  to  employ  for  the  purpose  of  saving  sinners,  will  in 
the  most  of  instances    forever  fail  of  their  designed 
utility.     But  have  we  not  every  good  reason  for  be- 
lieving, that  if  the  divine  Being  had  been  fully  per 
suaded  of  this,  he  never  would  have  used  those  abor- 
tive means  ?     In  order  to  avoid  an  endless  series  of  in- 
consistencies we  are  compelled  to  acknowledge  a  plain 
simple  truth,  that  the  infinite  knowledge  of  God  is  in 
perfect  harmony  with  his  boundless  unchangeable  love, 
which   constitutes  him  infinitely  and    consummately 
happy  ;  and  lays  a  foundation  on  which  the  human 
mind  may  rest  and  enjoy  the  sweetest  possible  repose. 
How  often  is  it  the  case,  that  we  are  called  to  witness 
and  to  pass  through  dark  scenes  of  trial  in  which  our 
weak  discernment  can  see  no  utility,  and  we  are  pi- 
ning with  despair,  and  saying  "  all  these  things  are 
against   me ;"    but   how  divinely   comforting   is   the 
thought  so  happily  expressed  by  the  Poet ; 

The  clouds  you  so  much  dread 
Are  big  with  mercy,  and  will  break 
In  blessings  on  your  head ; 
Judge  not  the  Lord  by  feeble  sense, 
But  trust  him  for  his  grace; 
Behind  a  frowning  providence, 
He  hides  his  smiling  face. 

That  the  divine  power  ever  moves  according  to  the 
directions  of  the  love  of  God,  there  is  no  room  to 
doubt.  Power  without  will  to  put  it  in  motion  and 
direct  it,  is  dormant  and  effects  nothing.  And  as  it  is 
evident,  that  God  cannot  will  contrary  to  his  nature 
which  is  love,  so  it  is  equally  evident  that  his  power 
never  effects  any  thing  which  his  love  does  not  desire. 
That  Almighty  Power  which  controls  all  worlds,  all 
beings,  and  all  elements,  moves  only  as  it  is  directed 
by  the  gentle,  kind,  and  merciful  principles  of  divine 
love. 

The  divine  attribute  which  the  sensual,  partial  wis- 
dom of  this  world  has  armed  with  principles  hostile  to 
love,  is  justice.  Justice  has  been  held  up  as  an  un- 
merciful foe  to  the  transgressor,  knowing  no  favor,  but 


56  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

demanding  the  everlasting  destruction  of  all  who  come 
short  of  obedience.  If  we  allow  this  sentiment  con- 
cerning the  demands  of  divine  justice,  is  it  not  evi- 
dent that  justice  is  opposed  to  love  in  such  demands  ? 
This  cannot  be  denied.  Those  who  hold  the  opinion 
that  sinners  must  be  punished  everlastingly  in  the  fu- 
ture state,  never  undertake  to  prove  such  an  opinion 
by  arguing  that  sinners  are  the  objects  of  divine  love. 
But  justice  is  always  referred  to  as  the  attribute  which 
is  opposed  to  the  sinner's  salvation.  Now  if  justice 
and  love  are  opposed  to  each  other  in  God,  does  not 
this  constitute  transgression  ?  "  Sin  is  the  trangres- 
sion  of  the  law,"  justice  is  the  law ;  and  if  love  be  op- 
posed to  justice,  it  is  opposed  to  the  law,  and  trans- 
gresses the  law  !  But  St.  Paul  says  ;  "  love  worketh 
no  ill  to  his  neighbor  ;  therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law."  If  love  fulfils  the  law,  it  certainly  is  not  op- 
posed to  justice. 

We  will  for  a  few  minutes,  attempt  to  examine  di- 
vine justice,  both  as  to  its  requirements  in  its  precepts, 
and  in  its  administration  of  punishments ;  and  careful- 
ly compare  with  the  dictates  of  divine  love,  in  order 
to  see  if  there  be  any  disagreement.  What  then  does 
the  divine  law  require  ?  The  blessed  Saviour  explains 
the  law  as  follows;  "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with 
all  thy  mind.  This  is  the  first  and  great  command- 
ment. And  the  second  is  like  unto  it,  thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  On  these  two  command- 
ments hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets."  This  is 
what  divine  justice  demands  of  all  men  ;  this  is  the 
whole  law,  as  saith  the  Apostle  ;  "  All  the  law  is  ful- 
filled in  one  word,  even  in  this,  thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself."  Now  compare  this  divine  requi- 
sition with  what  love  requires.  Love  most  surely  can- 
not require  any  thing  short  of  itself.  If  one  person 
love  another  sincerely,  can  any  thing  short  of  love  in 
return  give  satisfaction  ?  The  parents  of  a  family  ot 
children  love  their  offspring  most  affectionately  ;  this 
love  is  commended  to  the  children  by  a  thousand  fa- 
vors,  varied  according  to  their  wants.      Now  what 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  57 

does  this  love  require  in  return  ?  It  requires  the  chil- 
dren to  love  their  parents.  The  Apostle  says  ;  "  We 
love  him,  because  he  first  loved-  us."  Nothing  will 
answer  as  a  substitute  for  love.  If  the  children  at- 
tend ever  so  punctually  to  the  performance  of  every 
duty  enjoined  in  the  precepts  of  the  parents,  if  love 
be  wanting,  all  is  unsavory.  Love  is  the  salt  that  must 
season  every  performance  in  order  to  render  it  accept- 
able. St.  Paul  must  have  had  this  view  of  our  subject 
when  he  wrote  the  following  ;  "  Though  I  speak  with 
the  tongues  of  men  and  of  Angels,  and  have  not  char- 
ity, (the  same  with  love)  I  am  become  as  sounding 
brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal.  And  though  I  have  the 
gift  of  prophecy,  and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all 
knowledge  ;  and  though  I  have  all  faith  so  that  I 
could  remove  mountains  and  have  not.  charity,  I  am 
nothing.  And  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed 
the  poor,  and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned, 
and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing."  And 
I  think  we  may  say  according  to  divine  truth,  that, 
that  sort  of  justice  which  is  destitute  of  love,  is  as 
sounding  brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbal ;  it  has  sounded 
through  all  Christendom  and  tinkled  in  all  our  ears. 
And  as  it  is  destitute  of  love  itself,  so  it  has  produced 
none  in  its  votaries. 

Now  as  we  have  seen  that  justice  and  love  are  uni- 
ted in  their  requirements,  it  may  add  no  little  strength 
to  the  evidence  already  adduced  to  look  at  the  princi- 
ple on  which  they  urge  their  united  claim. 

In  order  for  any  demand  to  be  just,  it  must  be 
founded  on  a  reasonable  principle.  So  if  justice  and 
love  demand  of  us,  that  we  love  God,  and  one  anoth- 
er, it  is  proper  to  ascertain  the  principle  on  which  the 
propriety  of  this  demand  is  seen.  Love  and  hatred 
are  what  we  are  necessarily  inclined  to ;  and  we  are 
necesarily  inclined  to  love  that  which  is  agree- 
able to  us,  and  to  hate  what  is  otherwise.  It  would 
then  be  a  most  unreasonable  thing  to  require  us  to 
love  what  is  not  lovely,  and  to  hate  what  is  not 
hateful.  If  then  we  are  required  to  love  God,  it  is  be- 
cause  he  is  lovely,  if  rightly  understood.     If  there 


58  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

were  any  quality  in  the  divine  Being  which  is  oppo- 
sed to  our  well  being,  it  is  a  most  unreasonable  thing 
to  require  us  to  love  that  quality.  The  result  then  of 
this  part  of  the  inquiry  is  this,  namely,  justice  and 
love  both  agree  in  requiring  us  to  love  that  which  is  al- 
together for  our  own  profit,  and  it  is  not  in  the  nature 
of  either  to  require  us  to  love  any  object  beyond  our 
interest.  We  will  not  say  that  this  may  not  be  consid- 
ered rather  a  new  kind  of  argument  ;  but  even  if  it  is, 
this  circumstance  ought,  by  no  means,  to  be  urged 
against  the  propriety  of  it ;  it  may  be  urged  as  a  pro- 
per occasion  for  carefully  examining  it.  If  it  be  ne- 
cessary to  make  it  still  more  evident,  we  may  ask, 
what  or  whose  interest  is  to  be  served  by  our  loving 
that  which  is  of  no  benefit  to  ourselves?  No  one  will 
be  so  erroneous  as  to  contend  that  any  benefit  can  re- 
sult to  the  divine  being  from  our  love  to  him ;  and 
certainly  not  from  our  loving  him  beyond  our  interest 
in  him,  as  it  will,  at  once,  be  allowed,  that  it  is  impos- 
sible to  love  him  more  than  we  are  benefitted  by  him. 
This  argument  holds  equally  good  as  it  applies  to  any 
one,  or  all  of  the  divine  attributes.  We  cannot  love 
wisdom,  knowledge,  power,  justice,  truth,  mercy  or 
love,  to  a  greater  degree  than  we  are  benefitted  by 
these  divine  principles. 

As  we  have  enjoyed  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  a  per- 
fect agreement  in  the  preceptive  requirements  of  di- 
vine love  and  justice,  it  will  now  increase  our  ration- 
al felicity  if  we  can  see  these  divine  attributes  equally 
harmonize  in  retributive  requisitions.  But  as  this  ar- 
gument has  been  instituted  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
that  divine  justice  does  not  oppose  the  sinner's  salva- 
tion, we  may  confine  our  present  remarks  to  punitive 
requirements.  The  subject  now  to  be  determined  is, 
what  kind  of  punishment  does  divine  justice  require 
to  be  inflicted  on  the  transgressor  for  his  offences,  for 
what  purpose,  and  to  what  extent  ?  Answer  :  As  it  is 
not  in  the  nature  of  divine  justice  to  do  any  thing  to 
prevent  its  own  precepts  from  being  obeyed,  it  can 
never  punish  the  sinner  in  any  way  to  prevent  his  final 
obedience ;  but  on  the  other  hand,  it  keeping  an  eye 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  59 

directly  on  the  original  object  embraced  in  the  very 
design  of  the  precept,  awards  that  kind  of  punishment 
which  is  best  calculated  to  work  repentance  and.  re- 
formation, which  is  the  object  of  punishment,  and  ad- 
ministers it  until  the  desired  effect  is  produced.  It 
seems  impossible  to  extend  punishment  any  further, 
unless  we  arm  it  with  weapons  hostile  to  its  own  re- 
quirements. That  the  hearer  may  see  this  subject, 
if  possible,  still  plainer,  we  will  ask,  for  what  possible 
purpose  can  justice  require  any  punishment  to  be  in- 
flicted on  the  sinner  that  does  not  tend  to  the  sinner's 
benefit  ?  As  no  one's  interest  is  the  object  of  the  pre- 
cept, except  those  on  whom  it  is  binding,  why  should 
the  punishment  for  disobedience  seek  any  other  inter- 
est than  that  which  is  aimed  at  by  the  precept  ?  We 
know  it  is  said  that  it  is  necessary  to  punish  an  offend- 
er, as  a  terror  to  others,  to  prevent  their  committing 
offences.  But  if  this  be  allowed,  in  room  of  its  mak- 
ing at  all  against  our  argument,  it  goes  directly  to  es- 
tablish it ;  therefore  it  is  admitted. 

Do  you  ask  how  this  is?  Answer:  If  it  be  right 
and  reasonable  to  punish  an  offender  for  the  benefit  of 
others,  it  supposes  a  common  interest  exists  between 
the  one  punished  and  those  for  whose  benefit  we  say 
the  punishment  is  inflicted.  This  being  the  princi- 
ple on  which  the  punishment  is  administered,  it  can- 
not be  inflicted  beyond  the  limits  of  this  common  in- 
terest. 

If  we  are  correct  in  this  reasoning,  we  have  the  in- 
creased felicity  sought,  for  it  will  be  seen  at  once  that 
divine  love  as  much  requires  this  punishment  as  jus- 
tice does ;  for  love  cannot  require  less  than  that  which 
is  for  the  good  of  its  object.  O  the  beauty  !  The 
glory  of  the  scene  which  here  opens  on  our  wondering 
eyes  !  Divine  truth,  a  golden  line,  appears  lovely  be- 
yond description,  and  mercy  lies  parallel  from  the  be- 
gininiy  to  the  end. 

To  conclude ;  The  imperfect  view  we  have  been 
able  to  take  of  the  immense  subject  of  this  discourse, 
seems  amply  sufficient  to  give  elevated  thoughts  of  the 
divine  character,  thoughts  calculated  to  raise  our  af- 


60  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

fections  from  every  meaner  object,  and  place  them  on 
God.  With  what  gratitude  do  we  turn  our  eyes  to- 
wards heaven,  and  realize  that  God  who  is  love,  is  our 
Father ;  that  all  his  infinitely  glorious  attributes  har- 
monize in  love  ;  that  they  all  work  in  unison,  aiming 
at  the  highest  possible  improvement  and  felicity  of  all 
moral  beings.  With  what  pleasing  reflections  do  we 
behold  each  other.  Children  of  the  same  Father,  heirs 
of  the  same  inheritance,  pilgrims  on  the  same  journey, 
and  bound  to  the  same  eternal  home. 

How  reasonable  it  is  that  we  should  love,  sincerely 
love  the  God  of  love.  How  reasonable  is  it  that  we 
should  love  one  another.  Our  pretensions  to  religion, 
without  love,  are  but  frauds  practised  on  ourselves. 
"  He  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen, 
how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen?"  Love 
is  a  "  fountain  of  living  waters,  a  place  of  broad  rivers 
and  streams,"  to  which  we  are  invited  in  the  following 
divine  language,  with  which  I  close ;"  Ho,  every  one 
that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that 
hath  no  money  :  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come, 
buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price. 
In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood 
and  cried,  saying,  if  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto 
me  and  drink." 


LECTURE  V. 

MAN    ORIGINALLY     MADE     SUBJECT     TO    VANITY     AND    TO 

HOPE. 

ROMANS,  viii.  20. 

For  the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  not  willingly,  but  by  reason 
of  him  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in  hope. 

By  creature  in  our  text,  the  Apostle  evidently  means 
the  same  as  he  does  by  the  "  whole  creation  "  in  the 
22d  verse.  In  this  connexion  the  whole  created  hu- 
manity is  three  times  called  "  the  creature  ;"  and  once, 
"  the  whole  creation."  The  subject  of  the  Apostle's 
labor  in  the  place  where  our  text  is  found,  seems  to 
be  that  of  presenting  to  view  one  of  the  most  pleasing, 
consoling,  and  encouraging  subjects,  on  which  he  de- 
lighted to  dwell.  In  the  16th  verse  he  notices  the 
testimony  of  the  divine  Spirit,  that  we  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God.  From  this  he  proceeds  to  show  our  heir- 
ship in  God,  and  our  joint  heirship  with  Christ.  The 
consideration  of  the  infinite  riches  and  glory  to  which 
mankind  are  entitled,  seemed  to  call  into  notice  the 
present  state  of  suffering  to  which  man  is  subjected  in 
this  mortal  life  ;  concerning  which  he  speaks  as  fol- 
lows ;  "  For  I  reckon,  that  the  sufferings  of  this  pre- 
sent time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glo- 
ry which  shall  be  revealed  in  us.  For  the  earnest  ex- 
pectation of  the  creature  waiteth  fcr  the  manifestation 
of  the  sons  of  God.  For  the  creature  was  made  sub- 
ject to  vanity,  not  willingly,  but  by  reason  of  him  who 
hath  subjected  the  same  in  hope  ;  because  the  creature 
itself  also  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  cor- 
ruption into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of 
God.  For  we  know  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth 
and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now ;  and  not 
6 


62  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

only  they,  but  ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first-fruits 
of  the  spirit,  even  we  oui  selves  groan  within  ourselves 
waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our 
body."  By  cur  body  the  author  means  the  same  as 
he  does  by  creature,  and  by  the  ivhofe  creation.  Be- 
lievers who  have  the  first  fruits  of  the  spirit  are  dis- 
tinguished in  the  foregoing  quotation  from  the  rest  of 
the  one  body,  called  the  creature  and  the  whole  crea- 
tion, but  in  such  a  way  as  to  show  that  they  were  in 
the  same  condition  with  the  rest,  groaning  and  waiting 
for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  the  whole 
body.  And  it  is  worthy  of  special  notice,  that  by  first 
fruits  of  the  spirit,  the  Apostle  evidently  intimates 
that  the  redemption  of  the  whole  creature  which  was 
made  subject  to  vanity  was  considered  as  the  whole  or 
general  harvest.  As  under  the  law  a  few  only  par- 
took of  the  first  firuits,  but  all  were  fed  of  the  general 
harvest ;  so  but  a  few  seem  to  be  partakers  of  the  first 
fruits  of  the  spirit,  while  the  whole  human  family  is  en- 
titled to  the  redemption  of  our  body. 

The  vanity  to  which  the  creature  was  made  subject 
may  comprehend  all  the  imperfections  incident  to  our 
mortal  state,  but  especially  and  particularly  the  suffer- 
ings which  the  author  mentioned  in  the  context.  He 
was  not. made  subject  to  vanity  on  account  of  his  own 
will,  for  he  could  have  had  no  will  until  he  was  crea- 
ted ;  but  he  was  made  subject  to  vanity  by  reason  of 
him  who  subjected  him  in  hope.  The  opinion,  there- 
fore, that  man  was  constituted  in  flesh  and  blood,  first 
a  perfectly  holy  being,  but  was  made  subject  to  vanity 
by  sin,  is  as  contrary  to  the  plain  declaration  of  our 
text  as  it  is  repugnant  to  the  dictates  of  reason. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  examine  the  common  doc- 
trine called  the  fall  of  man,  and  to  show  the  want  of 
both  scripture  and  reason  for  its  support  Such  lan- 
guage as  the  following ;  "  before  the  fall,  since  the  fall, 
the  fall  of  man,  in  Adam's  fall  we  sinned  all,"  is  com- 
mon among  christian  people,  and  is  so  much  used  by 
authors  and  preachers  that  people  in  general  suppose 
it  to  be  Bible  lanoua^e,  and  feel  confident  that  the 
scriptures  justify  such  representations.  But  notwith- 
standing all  that  hasrbeen  written  and  spoken  on  this 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  63 

subject,  and    without   calling  the  sincerity  of  any  in 
question,  it  seems  necessary  to  inform  the  hearer  that 
no  such  language  was  ever  "used  by  the  lawgiver  of  Is- 
rael, the  prophets  who  spake  as  they  were  moved  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Lord  Jesus,  or  his  Apostles.     We 
read  nothing  in  the  scriptures  of  Adam's  falling  from 
the  state  in  which  he  was  created,  no  more  than  we 
read  of  Cain's  falling  from  the  state  in  which  he   was 
created.     We  are  informed  that  Adam  ate  of  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  and  we  are  informed  that  Cain  slew  his 
brother,  but  we  are  not  told  that  they  did  these  things 
in  one  constitution  of  nature,  and  fell  into  another  con- 
stitution by  so  doing.     If  Adam  had  not  been  constitu- 
ted in  an  imperfect  state  how  could  he  have  sinned  in 
that  state?     It  is  not  supposed  that  Adam  fell  out  of 
the  state  in  which   he  was  created  before  he  sinned, 
therefore  he  must  have  sinned  in  the  state  in  which  he 
was  formed  of  the  dust  of  the  ground.     If  he  sinned  in 
the  state  in  which  he  was  first  formed,  then  it  is  evident 
that  he  was  possessed  of  no  perfection  or  holiness  that 
secured  him  against  sin.     What  alteration  was  there 
effected  in  the  constitution  of  Adam  by  what  is  called 
the  fall  ?     It  seems  according  to  the  account  given  in 
Genesis,  that  Adam  was  not  very  dissimilar  to  men  in 
all  ages  of  the  world ;  he  was  led  into  sin  by  his  com- 
panion.    She  who  was  formed  and  given  to  Adam  for 
a  help-meet  was  the  means  of  leading  him  into  sin  ; 
and  how  many  thousands  in  all  ages  of  the  world  have 
been  led  into  sin  by  this  kind  blessing  of  heaven  ! 
Nor  does  it  appear  from  any  account  we  have  in  scrip- 
ture, that  Adam  was  any  more  inflexible  than  his  pos- 
terity in  general.     We  have  no  account  of  his  with- 
standing strong  temptations  for  a  long  time ;  it  seems 
the   first   temptation   was   successful.      If  we  should 
carefully  compare  the  conduct  of  Adam  with  what  we 
read  of  Joseph,  candor  would  conclude  at  once  in 
favor  of  the  latter.     The  former  did   sin,  but  Joseph 
did  not.     But  here  we  should  do  great  injustice  if  we 
should  contend  that  there  was  such  a  difference  in  the 
constitutions  of  the  two  as  to  produce  the  difference 
which   appears   in   their  conduct;  for  this  difference 


64  BALLOUs'     LECTURES. 

might  have  arisen  from  circumstances  distinct  from 
natural  constitution. 

The  common  doctrine  on  the  subject  of  this  in- 
quiry supposes  that  there  was  a  real  change  produced 
in  man's  very  nature  by  the  first  transgression ;  and 
such  a  change  too,  as  to  render  the  creature  radically 
sinful  and  totally  inclined  to  sin.  But  we  read  no 
such  account  where  those  things  are  particularly  re- 
corded. So  far  from  any  thing  of  this  kind,  we  are 
not  informed  that  either  Adam  or  Eve  ever  commit- 
ted a  second  crime.  The  faithful  word  informs  us 
that  these  first  parents  of  mankind  lived  a  long  time 
after  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  but  we  hear  nothing 
of  their  living  vicious  lives.  The  second  sin  of  which 
we  read  is  the  murder  of  Abel,  and  this  crime  was  so 
heinous  even  in  the  mind  of  Cain,  that  he  thought  he 
should  have  to  die  by  the  hand  of  some  avenger.  If 
man's  very  nature  was  so  changed  by  Adam's  sin  as 
common  opinion  supposes,  why  have  we  no  account 
of  Adam's  wicked  life  and  of  Eve's  abominations  ? 
Why  is  there  no  mention  made  of  the  wickedness  of 
Abel  ?  Did  not  Abel  partake  of  this  fall  ?  Or  was  it 
in  Adam's  power  to  communicate,  or  not  communi- 
cate this  sinful  nature  by  procreation  ?  The  fact  is  we 
have  no  authority  for  this  doctrine  which  is  called  the 
fall. 

The  most  extravagant  part  of  the  common  doctrine 
of  the  first  transgression  and  its  consequences,  relates  to 
the  means  by  which  Eve  was  beguiled.  So  immaculate 
and  holy  were  our  first  parents,  that  had  it  not  been 
for  the  beguiling  acts  of  a  superior  being,  says  com- 
mon doctrine,  Eve  could  never  have  been  tempted 
with  success.  This  presumed,  the  next  thing  is  to 
fabricate  a  story  about  a  fallen  Angel  who  was  once 
for  glory  and  beauty  the  morning  star  of  heaven  ;  but 
who  by  rebellion  fell  from  the  state  in  which  he  was 
created,  and  was  consigned  to  the  burning  lake  for 
the  punishment  of  his  sin.  This  prince  of  devils,  it 
is  believed,  assumed  the  body  of  a  serpent  and  per- 
suaded her  to  believe  that  she  could  better  her  condi- 
tion by  disobeying  her  Maker.      Milton  has  told  this 


tfALLOU  S    LECTURES.  65 

story  in  such  a  fanciful  manner,  that  the  sentiment  has 
been  incorporated  into  the  christian  faith  so  that  a  de- 
nial of  it  is  the  same  as  a  denial  of  the  whole  christian 
doctrine,  in  the  opinion  which  we  are  examining. 

Now  if  this  notion  of  a  fallen  Angel  &c.  be  a  fact, 
why  are  the  scriptures  silent  on  the  subject  ?  Where 
we  read  in  Genesis  of  the  serpent  tempting  Eve,  there 
is  nothing  said  concerning  a  fallen  Angel  called  the 
devil.  But  let  us  ask  how  this  Angel  came  to  sin.  It 
is  contended  that  Eve  was  so  perfect  that  she  never 
would  have  sinned  unless  she  had  been  beguiled  by  a 
superior  mind.  Now  if  this  were  the  case  how  shah 
we  account  for  the  sin  of  the  Angel  who  fell  and  be 
came  a  devil  ?  Was  he  less  holy  before  he  sinned, 
than  our  first  parents?  If  he  could  sin  without  a 
tempter  why  could  not  man  sin  without  a  temp- 
ter? It  must  be  allowed  that  this  Angel  sinned  on  ac- 
count of  imperfection  in  his  nature,  without  a  tempter, 
or  it  must  be  granted  that  he  had  one  to  tempt  him. 
But  whether  he  was  tempted  by  some  other  being,  or  by 
reason  of  his  constitutional  infirmity,  both  alike  prove 
his  imperfection  ;  for  if  he  had  been  perfect,  temptations 
could  not  have  risen  from  within  him,  nor  from  without 
could  they  have  had  any  power  upon  him.  This  is 
equally  applicable  to  man.  He  must  have  been  imper- 
fect, and  subject  to  vanity  or  he  could  not  have  been  led 
into  sinby  temptations  from  within  or  from  without. 

The  hearer  will  easily  perceive  that  there  is  no  oth- 
er way  to  account  for  the  first  transgression  than  by 
admitting  a  constitutional  imperfection,  in  the  agent ; 
he  will  furthermore  see  that  a  sinful  being  can  have  no 
power  to  lead  one  who  is  perfect  in  holiness  into  trans- 
gression ;  all  beings,  therefore,  who  are  sinful  must 
have  been  made  subject  to  vanity,  which  is  the  state 
in  which  man  stood  when  formed  of  the  dust  of  the 
ground,  and  according  to  the  Apostle's  testimony  in 
cur  text. 

As  it  seems  impossible  to  avoid  this  conclusion  con- 
cerning the  imperfect  state  of  man  in   the  beginning, 
we  shall  consent,  at  once,  to  the  idea  in  our  text,  that 
the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity,   not  because 
6* 


66  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

of  his  own  will,  but  by  reason  of  the  will  of  his  Maker 
who  saw  fit,  in  his  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness,  to 
subject  the  creature    to   all   the  vanity  of    this  mortal 
state  in  hope  of  a  better  and  more  perfect  state  here- 
after. 

Let  us,  in  the  next  place,  proceed  to  examine  the 
account  which  inspiration  has  given  of  the  first  temp- 
tation and  sin ;  and  let  us  do  this  with  honest  and 
candid  minds,  with  a  determination  to  be  satisfied  with 
the  scripture  account. 

"  Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtle  than  any  beast 
of  the  field  which  the  Lord  God  had  made,  and  he 
said  unto  the  woman,  yea,  hath  God  said  ye  shall  not 
eat  of  every  tree  of  the  garden?"     To  this  question 
the  woman  returned  the  true  answer,  to  which   the 
serpent  replied;  "  Ye  shall  not  surely  die.     For  God 
doth  know,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your 
eyes  shall  be  opened  ;  and  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing 
good  and  evil."     Here  is  the  whole  account  of  the 
first  temptation.     And  here  let  the  question  be  hon- 
estly and  candidly  examined,  (viz.)  What  is  there  in 
this  account  about  an  Angel's  falling  from  heaven  to 
hell,  and  coming  from  hell  to  the  earth,  and  of  his 
tempting  Eve  ?     Surely  there  is  not  a  word  that    so 
much  as  intimates  any  thing  on  the  subject.     But  it  is 
contended,  that  the  serpent  could  not  have  tempted 
Eve,  if  some  evil  agent  had  not  been  in  him  and  mov- 
ed him  to  perform  so  crafty  a  work.     Why  then  does 
the  account  say  that  the  serpent  was  more  subtle  than 
any  beast  of  the  field  ?     If  the   temptation  was  the 
craftiness  of  some  other  creature,  and  not  the  subtlety 
of  the  serpent,  it  was  different  from  the  scripture  re- 
presentation, which  suggests  no  other  subtlety  in   the 
case  than  that  of  the  serpent.     Moreover,  if  it   had 
been  seme  invisible  agent,  who,  entering  into  the  ser- 
pent, wrought  the  temptation  in  question,  it  was  that 
invisible  agent,  and  not  the  serpent  that  was  the  temp- 
ter, and  ought  to  have  been  the  subject  of  the  maledic- 
tion which  was   pronounced  on  the  serpent.     "  And 
the  Lord  God  said  unto  the  serpent,  because  thou  hast 
done  this,  thou  art  cursed  above  all  cattle,  and  above 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  67 

every  beast  of  the  field  :  upon  thy  belly  shalt  thou  go, 

and  dust  shalt  thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life.  And 
I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and 
between  thy  seed  and  her  seed  ;  it  shall  bruise  thy 
head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel."  All  this  was 
said  to  the  serpent,  but  there  was  nothing  said  to  that 
abominable  wicked  Angel  that  sinned  in  heaven,  and 
who  was  banished  to  hell  for  his  sin,  and  from  hell 
came  to  this  earth  and  tempted  Eve! 

By  this  time  the  hearer  will  ask  if  the  speaker  real- 
ly supposes  that  a  literal  serpent  did  actually  talk  to 
the  woman  and  influence  her  to  eat  of  a  forbidden 
fruit  ?  No,  he  does  not.  He  humbly  conceives  that 
this  account  is  given  in  a  scriptural  allegory,  which  may 
all  be  explained  by  a  little  attention  to  the  scriptures. 
In  scripture,  the  serpent  is  a  hieroglyphic  of  wisdom. — 
Jesus  commanded  his  disciples  to  be  wise  as  serpents. 
As  there  are  two  sorts  of  wisdom  mentioned  in  scrip- 
ture, so  they  are  represented  by  two  kinds  of  serpents. 
The  Apostle  James  speaks  of  wisdom  as  follows; 
"Who  is  a  wise  man,  and  endued  with  knowledge 
among  you?  Let  him  show,  out  of  a  good  conversa- 
tion, his  works  with  meekness  and  wisdom.  But  if 
ye  have  bitter  envy  and  strife  in  your  hearts,  glory 
not,  and  lie  not  against  the  truth.  This  wisdom  de- 
scended not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual,  devil- 
ish. For  where  envying  and  strife  is,  there  is  confu- 
sion, and  every  evil  work.  But  the  wisdom  that  is 
from  above  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  and 
easy  to  be  intreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits, 
without  partiality  and  without  hypocrisy." 

The  wisdom  of  God  is  represented  by  the  rod  of 
Moses  which  became  a  serpent ;  and  the  wisdom  of 
this  world  which  cometh  to  naught,  is  represented  by 
the  rods  of  the  wise  men  and  sorcerers  of  Egypt,  which, 
likewise  became  serpents.  The  superiority  of  the  wis- 
dom of  God  over  the  wisdom  of  the  flesh  is  represented 
by  Aaron's  rod  swallowing  up  the  magicians'  rods. 
Another  representation  of  these  two  wisdoms  we  have 
in  the  account  given  of  the  fiery  serpents  that  bit  and 
destroyed  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness,  and  that  bra  { 


68  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

zen  serpent  which  Moses  made  by  the  special  com- 
mand of  God,  whose  virtues  were  a  sovereign  cure  for 
the  deadly  stings  of  the  fiery  serpents.  These  fiery 
serpents  represent  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  and  the 
evil  effects  of  their  bite  are  a  very  just  representation 
of  the  evil  effects  of  false  religion.  And  our  blessed 
Saviour  has  made  use  of  the  brazen  serpent  to  repre- 
sent himself.  He  says ;  "  And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the 
serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  son  of  man 
be  lifted  up  ;  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life."  When  the  Israel- 
ites were  bitten  by  the  fiery  serpents,  and  the  deadly 
poison  was  diffused  throughout  their  distressed  bodies, 
only  a  look  at  the  brazen  serpent  on  the  pole  effected 
a  radical  cure  of  the  deadly  wound.  So  by  looking 
unto  Jesus,  who  is  the  wisdom  of  God,  we  are  recov- 
ered from  the  dreadful  contagion  of  our  earthly  sen- 
sual wisdom.  Thus  the  promised  seed  bruises  the 
serpent's  head. 

Let  us  look  in  the  next  place,  and  ascertain  if  pos- 
sible, the  source  of  this  sensual  wisdom  which  is  en- 
mity against  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  which  tempts  us 
to  sin.  St.  James  says;  "Every  man  is  tempted 
when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his  own  lust,  and  enticed. 
Then  when  lust  hath  conceived,  it  bringeth  forth  sin  ; 
and  sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth  forth  death." — 
To  the  Galatians  St.  Paul  says ;  "  I  say  then,  walk  in 
the  spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lust  of  the  flesh. 
For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit 
against  the  flesh  ;  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to 
the  other  ;  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye 
would."  Is  not  the  account  given  by  St.  Paul  and  St. 
James,  a  plain,  reasonable  representation  of  the  power 
of  the  fleshly  nature  to  strive  against  the  spirit  of  di- 
vine wisdom  in  us,  to  tempt  us  and  to  lead  us  into  sin 
which  produces  death  ?  And  if  this  be  the  way  that  we 
are  tempted,  have  we  any  reason  to  believe  that  it  is 
not  the  way  in  which  Eve  was  tempted  in  the  begin- 
ning ?  Yea,  is  not  this  contentions,  sensual  wisdom  of 
the  flesh,  the  serpent  which  beguiled  the  woman? 
And  is  it  not  the  same  serpent  which  now  beguiles 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  69 

both  men  and  women  atid  leads  them  into  sin  and 
death  ?  Furthermore,  St.  Paul  says ;  "  Now  the  works 
of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which  are  these ;  adultery, 
fornication,  uncleanness,  lasciviousness,  idolatry,  witch- 
craft, hatred,  variance,  emulation,  wrath,  strife,  sedi- 
tions, heresies,  envying,  murders,  drunkenness,  revel- 
lings,  and  such  like."  These  works  are  all  the  nat- 
ural productions  of  our  fleshly,  earthly  nature,  and 
the  wisdom  which  is  earthly,  sensual,  devilish,  is 
the  serpent  which  beguiles  us.  Now  if  we  have 
found  the  real  source  of  our  own  temptations,  we  have 
also  found  the  source  of  the  temptations  of  all  man- 
kind, not  excepting  the  mother  of  our  race.  Flesh 
and  blood  was  the  same  in  the  beginning  as  it  is  now, 
its  powers  were  the  same,  its  lusts  were  the  same,  its 
wisdom  was  the  same,  and  it  is  to  the  powers  and 
appetites  of  the  flesh  that  every  sin  we  commit  may  be 
traced. 

St.  Paul  says ;  "  The  woman  being  deceived,  was 
in  the  transgression."  Could  she  have  been  deceived 
if  she  had  been  truly  wise  ?  No,  but  she  was  made 
subject  to  vanity.  If  she  had  been  perfectly  satisfied 
with  her  condition  would  she  have  disobeyed  her  Ma- 
ker for  the  sake  of  being  more  wise  ?  And  was  it  not 
perfectly  natural  for  her  to  wish  to  have  her  husband 
with  her  in  this  wisdom  ?  There  appears  nothing  in 
this  whole  account  that  differs  from  our  common  ex- 
perience and  observation.  There  is  no  condition  in 
which  man  can  be  placed,  in  the  present  state,  that 
can  bound  his  desires,  or  render  him  perfectly  satisfied 
with  what  he  possesses.  There  has  been  much  said 
concerning  the  happy,  the  consummately  happy  state 
in  which  Adam  and  Eve  were  placed  in  the  garden  ;  long 
accounts  have  been  dressed  up  in  all  the  beauties  of 
rhetoric  concerning  the  felicity  of  the  happy  pair  before 
transgression.  But  to  describe  the  dreadful  conse- 
quences of  the  first  sin,  the  calamitous  change  which  it 
effected  in  all  nature  here  on  earth,  and  the  endless  wo 
to  which  the  whole  posterity  of  Adam  was  exposed  by 
it,  has  exhausted  all  the  powers  of  human  imagina- 
tion.    And  yet,  if  we  look  for  these  things  in  the  scrip- 


70  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

"tures  we  find  them  not.  What  is  said  of  the  happy 
state  of  our  first  parents  before  they  knew  good  and 
evil  ?  Nothing.  How  does  the  word  of-  divine  reve- 
lation expatiate  on  the  miserable  state  into  which  the 
first  transgression  brought  man  ?  It  extends  the  sub- 
ject no  further  than  human  experience  in  all  ages  of 
the  world  extends  it.  Sin  was  attended  with  guilt  and 
fear  according  to  the  first  account  we  have  of  it,  and 
experience  has  taught  us  all,  that  guilt  and  fear  are  its 
natural  consequences.  But  that  the  first  transgression 
was  attended  with  worse  consequences  than  the  sins 
which  were  committed  afterward,  we  find  no  authori- 
ty for  believing.  And  what  would  be  the  fruits  of 
our  researches  should  we  examine  what  the  scriptures 
say  concerning  the  state  of  endless  wo  to  which  the 
first  sin  exposed  the  whole  human  race  ?  Why  in 
fact  we  should  search  in  vain  to  find  any  thing  of  the 
kind  in  the  word  of  God.  Even  the  serpent  had  no 
malediction  pronounced  on  him,  that  either  deprived 
him  of  his  natural  food  or  extended  beyond  his  natu- 
ral life  ;  much  less,  if  possible,  was  there  any  suggestion 
either  to  the  man  or  the  woman,  that  the  consequences 
of  their  sin  would  extend  into  a  future  state. 

All  the  vain  notions  which  the  earthly,  sensual 
wisdom  of  this  world  has  framed  on  this  subject  are 
evidences  in  support  of  what  we  have  endeavoured 
to  make  evident,  namely,  that  imperfection  and  sin 
manifest  themselves  in  our  strife  to  be  wise  by  violat- 
ing the  word  of  God  ;  and  that  vanity  to  which  man  is 
the  most  inclined,  is  seen  in  his  inventions  by  which 
he  renders  truth,  which  is  perfectly  simple  in  itself,  ob- 
scure and  mysterious. 

But  shall  it  be  said,  because  God  has  made  the 
creature  subject  to  all  this  vanity,  that  he  is  therefore 
unfriendly  to  his  offspring  ?  No,  my  brethren,  this 
is  not  the  case.  Blessed  be  God,  though  in  his  in- 
finite wisdom  he  saw  best  to  subject  his  creatures  to 
vanity  in  this  mortal  state,  he  has  made  extensive  and 
ample  provisions  in  his  providence  to  render  this  vain 
state  convenient  in  an  infinite  variety  of  ways,  and  has 
so  bountifully  scattered  down  his  blessings  that  we 


BULLOUS    LECTURES.  71 

have  constant  reason  to  rejoice  in  his  goodness.  He 
did  not  forsake  man  in  the  beginning  of  his  career  in 
sin,  but  though  he  manifested  his  holy  disapprobation 
of  the  defection  of  his  children,  he  made  them  sensi- 
ble likewise  of  his  fatherly  kindness  and  unchangeable 
goodness.  How  affecting  is  the  account  we  have  of 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  God  in  the  cool  of  the  day  call- 
ing after  Adam.  How  tender  are  the  words  ;  "  Adam, 
Adam,  where  art  thou  ? '  Who  can  hear  the  lan- 
guage of  divine  mercy  expressed  in  the  promise  of  the 
seed  of  the  woman  who  should  bruise  the  serpent's 
head,  without  emotions  of  lively  gratitude?  That  all 
gracious,  merciful  Creator,  who  made  the  creature  sub- 
ject to  vanity,  subjected  him  in  hope. 

The  reason  assigned  by  the  Apostle,  why  the  crea- 
ture was  subjected  to  vanity  in  hope,  he  expresses  in 
the  verse  following  our  text  in  these  words  ;  "  Because 
the  creature  itself  also  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bon- 
dage of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God."  Just  above  he  had  said  ;  "  The  spirit  it- 
self beareth  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the 
children  of  God.  And  if  children,  then  heirs ;  heirs 
of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ;  if  so  be  that  we 
suffer  with  him,  that  we  may  be  also  glorified  together 
For  I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  the  present  time  are 
not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  which  shall 
be  revealed  in  us.  For  the  earnest  expectation  of  the 
creature  waiteth  for  the  maifestation  of  the  sons  of 
God." 

As  the  creature  was  not  the  author  of  this  state  of 
vanity,  so  he  is  not  the  author  of  that  hope  in  which 
he  is  subjected  ;  no  nor  is  he  the  author  of  that  glori- 
ous liberty  of  the  sons  of  God  into  which  the  whole 
creation  shall  be  delivered,  from  the  bondage  of  cor- 
ruption. 

This  hope  of  life  and  immortality,  our  kind  and 
merciful  Creator  has  implanted  in  our  nature,  and  it 
seems  to  exist  as  universally  as  the  idea  of  a  supreme 
Being.  Those  notions  which  owe  their  origin  to  the 
inventions  of  priests,  and  their  standing  to  the  super 
stition  of  the  ignorant  are  not  universal ;  thev  are  lim 


72  BALLOU  S  LECTURES. 

ited  to  a  certain  denominations  or  nations,  and  have 
nothing  in  them  which  compares  with  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  the  divine  Being.  But  the  universality  of 
the  hope  of  a  future,  happy  existence,  very  fitly  com- 
pares with  the  impartial  goodness  of  God,  from  which  . 
circumstance  it  acquires  no  small  share  of  its  natural 
evidence. 

But  one  of  the  principal  objects  of  tne  gospel  of  Je- 
sus Christ  seems  lo  have  been,  to  present  us  with  full 
and  adequate  proof  of  the  doctrine  of  a  future  happy 
state  for  all  mankind. 

Speaking  of  Jesus,  the  Apostle  says ;  "  Who  hath 
brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gos- 
pel." 

The  hearer  is  cautioned  against  the  notion,  that  our 
Saviour  was  sent  into  the  world  to  go  through  a  pro- 
cess in  order  to  purchase,  or  procure  life  and  immor- 
tality for  man  ;  for  he  came  to  suffer,  die,  and  rise 
from  the  dead,  that  he  might  bring  life  and  immortali- 
ty to  light ;  that  is,  that  he  might  make  that  manifest 
which  the  creature  groaned  and  travailed  for,  and 
which  God  had  given  unto  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before 
the  world  began. 

This  glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God,  in  hope  of 
which  the  whole  creation  groans  and  travails  in  pain, 
is  the  inheritance  of  which  we  are  joint-heirs  with 
Christ.  Jesus  our  fore-runner  hath  entered  into  glory, 
and  being  the  head  of  every  man,  is  "  the  first  fruits  of 
them  that  slept.  For  since  by  man  came  death,  by 
man  came  also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  For  as 
in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made 
alive." 

From  the  doctrine  of  our  text  may  be  drawn  the  fol- 
lowing inferences : 

1st.  The  opinion  which  has  long  maintained  that 
the  first  temptation  which  led  to  the  introduction  of 
sin  into  our  world,  was  the  instigation  of  a  fallen  Angel, 
appears  to  be  without  foundation  or  authority  in  the 
scriptures,  which  plainly  indicate  that  the  constitution- 
al infirmities  of  flesh  and  blood  are  in  fact  the  source 
from  whence  all  sinful  temptations  rise. 


BALLOIj's    LECTURES.  73 

\ 

2d.  That  the  common  notion  which  christian  peo- 
ple entertain  and  cultivate  in  the  minds  of  their  chil- 
dren, of  an  invisible  agent,  who  was  once  a  holy  angel 
in  heaven,  that  now  continually  accompanies  people 
wherever  they  go,  and  is  all  the  time  tempting  them  to 
sin,  is  nothing  more  than  an  invention  of  the  wisdom 
of  the  flesh,  and  is  supported  by  no  other  means  than 
superstition.  Is  there  even  a  child,  who  has  come  to 
the  years  of  discretion,  that  cannot  see,  that  in  order 
for  this  evil  agent  to  do  all  that  is  attributed  to  him, 
he  must  be  every  where  at  the  same  time  ?  It  seems 
reasonable  that  we  should  be  rightly  informed  on  this 
subject,  because  if  we  have  enemies  to  contend  with, 
it  is  surely  necessary  to  know  them  and  to  know  their 
strength.  Our  appetites  and  passions  are  at  all  times 
with  us  ;  and  though  they  are  all  good  in  the  place 
for  which  they  were  made,  and  for  the  use  for  which 
they  were  created,  yet  as  they  are4)lind  in  proportion 
to  their  strength,  they  will  surely  lead  us  into  sin 
if  they  are  not  governed  by  wisdom  and  prudence. 

3d.  There  appears  no  authority  for  the  common 
opinion,  that  the  first  transgression  produced  a  radical 
change  in  the  moral  constitution  of  man,  or  that  in 
consequence  of  this  first  sin,  man  became  totally  deprav- 
ed and  altogether  opposed  to  all  good,  and  inclined 
wholly  to  all  evil.  Nor  does  it  appear  that  there 
was  any  such  change  effected  in  the  physical  consti- 
tution of  the  creature,  as  to  communicate  any  taint  to 
posterity.  If  even  Cain  had  been  wholly  inclined  to 
evil  by  nature,  he  would  have  been  as  likely  to  take 
the  life  of  Abel  without  the  occasion  mentioned  in 
the  Scriptures  as  with  it. — And  if  Abel  had  been  wholly 
inclined  to  evil,  he  would  have  been  as  likely  to  take  the 
life  of  Cain,  and  even  that  of  Adam  and  Eve,  as  Cain 
to  take  his  life.  Before  sin  took  place  it  required  a  temp- 
tation to  produce  it,  and  since  the  first  transgression 
the  case  has  always  been  the  same ;  every  crime  is  pre- 
ceded by  temptation,  which  would  not  be  required  if 
man  was  naturally  altogether  inclined  to  evil. 

4th.  The  religion  of  Jesus  affords  us  divine  eviden- 
ces in  support  of  that  glorious  hope  of  life  and  immor 

7 


74  -         BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

tality  in  which  the  whole  created  humanity  was  made 
subject  to  vanity.  How  infinitely  rich  is  this  blessed 
hope !  This  is  the  "  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure 
and  steadfast,  entering  into  that  within  the  vail  where 
our  fore-runner  hath  for  us  entered."  Calmly  leaning 
on  this,  Faith  casts  her  longing  eyes  beyond  the  proud 
swellings  of  the  Jordan  of  death,  sees  the  inviting  land 
of  promise,  lays  hold  of  the  earnest  of  the  inheritance, 
and  sings  the  triumphant  song ;  "  O  death,  where  is 
thy  sting  ?     O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ? " 


LECTURE.  VI. 

SALVATION    IMPARTIAL    AND    UNIVERSAL. 

ISAIAH  xxv.  6,  7,  8. 

And  in  this  mountain  shali  the  Lord  of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast 
if  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees ;  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines 
on  the  lees  well  refined.  And  he  will  destroy  in  this  mountain  the  face  of  the 
covering  cast  over  all  people,  and  the  vail  that  is  spread  over  all  nations 
He  will  swallow  up  death  in  victory;  and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe  away 
tears  from  off  all  faces ;  and  the  rebuke  of  his  people  shall  he  take  away  from 
off  all  the  earth:  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it." 

The  first  subject  of  inquiry  found  in  this  portion  of  di- 
vine truth  is  to  ascertain  what  the  inspired  author  means 
by  the  mountain  of  which  he  speaks  in  our  text. 

The  same  Prophet  in  his  2d  chapter  speaks  as  fol- 
lows ;  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days  that 
the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  estab- 
lished upon  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  shall  be 
exalted  above  the  hills ;  and  all  nations  shall  flow 
unto  it."  As  the  prophet  here  speaks  of  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  upon  the 
top  of  the  mountains,  it  seems  to  indicate  the  setting 
up  of  the  divine  power  and  government  over  the  powers 
and  polities  of  this  world  ;  the  exalting  of  the  mountain 
of  the  Lord's  house  above  the  hills  signifies  the  exalta- 
tion of  the  divine  economy  and  government  over  all  the 
powers  of  the  earth.  The  same  in  substance  is  found  in 
the  2d  chapter  of  Daniel,  where  the  four  great  empires 
of  the  world  are  particularly  characterised,  their  dissolu- 
tion represented,  and  the  kingdom  of  God  set  up  and 
established.  "Then  was  the  iron,  the  clay,  the  brass, 
the  silver,  and  the  gold,  broken  in  pieces  together,  and 
became  like  the  chaff  of  the  summer  threshing-floors ; 
and  the  wind  carried  them  away,  that  no  place  was 
found  for  them  ;  and  the  stone  that  smote  the  image, 
became  a  great  mountain,  and  filled  the  whole  earth  " 


76  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

This  is  explained  as  follows  ;  "  And  in  the  days  of 
these  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom 
which  shall  never  be  destroyed  :  and  the  kingdom  shall 
not  be  left  to  another  people,  but  it  shall  break  in 
pieces  and  consume  all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall 
stand  forever." 

The  gospel  covenant  is  represented  by  mount  Sion, 
in  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  ;  "  But  ye  are  come  unto 
mount  Sion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God.,  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem,"  &c.  Here  the  same  which  is 
called  a  mountain  is  called  the  city  of  the  living  God, 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  In  the  epistle  to  the  Gala- 
tians  the  two  covenants  are  represented  by  the  al- 
legory of  Sarah  and  Hagar  ;  "  For  this  Agar  is  mount 
Sina,  and  answereth  to  Jerusalem  which  now  is,  and  is 
in  bondage,  with  her  children.  But  Jerusalem  which 
is  above,  is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all." 
This  is  the  same  Jerusalem  of  which  mention  is 
made  in  the  21st  of  Revelations,  as  follows:  "  And 
I  John  saw  the  holy  City,  new  Jerusalem,  coming 
down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride, 
adorned  for  her  husband."  This  mount  Sion,  this1 
heavenly,  new  Jerusalem,  this  city  of  the  living  God 
is  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  which  is  to  be  es- 
tablished upon  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  exalted 
above  the  hills,  and  unto  which  all  nations  are  to  flow. 
All  nations  will  finally  submit  to  the  laws  and  govern- 
ment of  the  gospel,  and  be  willing  subjects  of  him 
who  "  shall  have  dominion  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from 
the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth,  of  the  increase 
of  whose  government  and  peace  there  shall  be  no 
end." 

As  the  prophet  informs  us,  that  all  nations  shall 
flow  to  this  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house,  so  in  our 
text  he  says  ;  "  In  this  mountain  shall  the  Lord  of 
hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,"  which 
invites  us  to  the  consideration  of  the  universality  of 
the  grace  of  the  gospel. 

The  divinity  of  this  testimony  is  visible  on  the  face 
of  it.  It  is  like  every  tiling  which  belongs  to  the  wis- 
dom and  goodness  of  God.     There  is  no  partiality  in 


BALLOUS'    LECTURES.  77 

it.  Every  thing  contrived  by  man  discovers  its  origin 
by  its  partiality ;  so  whatever  is  revealed  from  God 
proves  itself  to  be  from  him  by  its  impartiality.  This 
universal  impartial  language  is  the  language  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  saw  fit  to  use  to  express  the  extensiveness 
of  the  divine  goodness.  The  promises  of  God  to 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  expressive  of  the  gospel 
covenant  are  recorded  in  similar  language.  God  cer- 
tified the  fathers,  that  in  the  promised  seed  all  the  na- 
tions and  all  the  families  of  the  earth  should  be  bless- 
ed. These  promises  perfectly  harmonise  with  the 
prophecy  under  consideration.  In  this  mountain,  in 
this  seed,  in  this  covenant,  in  this  kingdom,  in  this 
city,  in  this  government  the  Lord  of  host  shall  make 
unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things.  The  same  uni- 
versality is  expressed  in  the  2d  Psalm.  "  I  have  set 
my  king  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion.  I  will  declare  the 
decree  ;  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  me,  thou  art  my 
son  ;  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  Ask  of  me,  and 
I  shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession." 
Like  unto  this  is  the  following  in  the  22d  Psalm,  "  All 
the  ends  of  the  world  shall  remember,  and  turn  unto 
the  Lord  ;  and  all  the  kindreds  of  the  nations  shall 
worship  before  thee.  For  the  kingdom  is  the  Lord's ; 
and  he  is  the  governor  among  the  nations  '  This 
word  kindreds,  is  used  by  St.  Peter  in  the  3d  of  Acts. 
"  Ye  are  the  children  of  the  prophets,  and  of  the  cov- 
enant which  God  made  with  the  fathers,  saying  unto 
Abraham,  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  kindreds  of 
the  earth  be  blessed.''  According  to  this  divine  dec- 
laration., all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  are  the  children, 
and  if  children,  then  heirs  of  the  testimony  of  the 
prophets,  and  of  the  covenant  which  God  made  with 
the  fathers.  In  prospect  of  these  great  and  glorious 
things  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  prophet  David  says, 
in  the  64th  psalm  ;  "  All  men  shall  fear,  and  shall  de- 
clare the  work  of  God  ;  for  they  shall  wisely  consider 
of  his  doings.  "  In  the  72d  psalm  we  find  the  follow- 
ing ;  "  He  shall  have  dominion  also  from  sea  to  sea,  and 

from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth — men  shall 

7  # 


78  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

be  blessed  in  him,  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed — 
all  kings  shall  fall  down  before  him  ;  all  nations  shall 
serve  him."      Psalm  86th,  "All  nations  whom  thou 
hast   made   shall   come  and   worship   before   thee    O 
Lord ;  and  shall  glorify  thy  name,  for  thou  art  great 
and  doest  wondrous  things  ;  thou  art  God  alone."     In 
bearing  such  testimony  as  the  foregoing,  David  was  a 
man  "after  God's  own  heart."     In  addition  to  what 
has  been  quoted  from  the  prophet  Isaiah,  the  following 
may  be  mentioned  ;  Chapter  52d,  "  Break  forth  into 
joy,  sing  together  ye  waste  places  of  Jerusalem ;  for 
the  Lord  hath  comforted  his  people,  he  hath  redeemed 
Jerusalem.     The  Lord  hath  made  bare  his  holy  arm 
in  the  eyes  of  all  the  nations ;  and  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth  shall  see  the  salvation  of  our  God."     Chap.  53 — 
"  All  we,  like  sheep,  have  gone  astray  :  we  have  turn- 
ed every  one  to  his  own  way ;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid 
on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all — He  shall  see  of  the  tra- 
vail of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied ;  by  his  know- 
ledge shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  many,  for  he 
shall  bear  their  iniquities."     Chapter  49th,   "  And  he 
said,  it  is  a  light  thing  that  thou  shouldst  be  my  ser- 
vant to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  and  to  restore 
the  preserved  of  Israel ;  I  will  also  give  thee  for  a  light 
to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mayst  be  my   salvation  unto 
the  ends  of  the  earth."     Time  would  fail  us  to  recite 
all  this  kind  of  testimony  from  the  prophets  who  spake 
of  the  coming  of  the  Just  One,  and  of  the  glory  that 
should  follow.     We  find  in  the  New  Testament  many 
arguments  and  declarations   corresponding   with    the 
promises  of  God  and  the  sayings  of  the  prophet  on  this 
glorious  subject  of  universal  grace.     Jesus  said,  "  God 
sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world 
but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved."     The 
beloved   disciple  says;    "We  have  seen  and  do  tes- 
tify, that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be  the  saviour  of 
the  world."     Again  he  says  that  "Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous   is    the    propitiation     for   the    sins     of    the 
whole  world."     St.  Paul  bestows  much  argument  to 
show  that   "  where  sin  abounded,  grace  hath  much 
more  abounded;  and  that  as  by  the  offence  of  one, 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  79 

judgment  came  upon  all  men  unto  condemnation,  even 
so  by  the  righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came  upon 
all  men  unto  justification  of  life."  He  exhorts  Timo- 
thy to  pray  and  give  thanks  for  all  men,  because  God 
will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  as  a  reason  for  this 
he  says,  that  the  one  Mediator  gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  all,  to  be  testified  in  due  time. 

Having  presented  the  hearer  with  this  very  limited 
sketch  of  the  divine  testimony  in  favor  of  the  universal 
goodness  of  God  to  mankind,  a  humble  desire  is  felt 
that  we  may  now  look  with  enlightened  eyes  and  can- 
did minds,  to  see  how  this  doctrine  agrees  with  the 
works  and  wrays  of  God  which  are  visible. 

Can  we  see  in  all  the  works  of  God,  any  instance 
where  the  Creator  has  discovered  any  want  of  good- 
ness to  the  creature  which  he  has  made  ?  Is  there 
any  thing  that  we  can  point  out  in  his  universal  provi- 
dence that  is  a  proof  of  a  design  to  harm  the  works  of 
his  hands  ?  Every  animal,  every  fish,  every  bird,  eve- 
ry reptile  and  every  insect  speaks  forth  the  goodness 
of  its  Creator.  Is  there  a  nation  on  the  earth  who  are 
so  treated  by  the  divine  Being,  that  they  can  say  to 
the  world,  we  have  never  received  a  favor  from  our 
Creator  ?  Is  there  an  individual  among  men  who  will 
stand  forth  and  protest  against  all  the  doings  of  God, 
and  say,  I  have  received  nothing  but  evil  from  the  hand 
that  formed  me  ?  Is  there  a  son  or  a  daughter  of  sor- 
row in  the  hearing  of  this  humble  voice,  who  will  as- 
sure us  that  "  these  light  afflictions,  which  are  but  for 
a  moment,"  will  not  "  work  for  us  an  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory :"  and  that  God  is  not  good 
unto  all,  and  that  his  tender  mercies  are  not  over  all 
his  works  ? 

Much  has  been  said  in  the  christian  church,  and 
much  has  been  maintained  by  the  prejudices  of  the  ig- 
norant against  the  universal  goodness  of  God,  and  in 
favor  of  a  partial  system  of  salvation  ;  but  after  all,  the 
great  question  is,  has  God  furnished  those  who  limit 
his  favor,  with  sufficient  proof  that  they  are  right  in  so 
doinsf  ?  In  his  sun-shine  and  in  his  rain  does  the 
Father  of  our  spirits  inform  us.   that  he  has  elected  a 


80  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

few  only  of  his  rational  offspring  to  be  heirs  of  his 
grace,  and  that  the  remainder  are  doomed  to  everlast- 
ing wo  ?  No  !  the  blessed  rays  of  the  sun  which 
makes  our  day,  and  warms  the  earth,  the  rain  from 
heaven,  which  waters  our  fields  and  our  orchards  and 
our  gardens,  preach  the  doctrine  of  universal  impartial 
goodness  ;  and  so  do  all  the  elements  in  the  infinite 
variety  of  their  productions.  The  water  we  drink,  the 
air  we  breathe,  the  food  we  receive,  the  raiment  we 
wear,  the  strength  of  our  bodies,  the  abilities  of  our 
minds,  our  health,  the  sweets  of  friendship,  the  beau- 
ties our  eyes  behold,  the  charms  of  music,  the  flavor  of 
fruits,  in  short  every  subject  oi  thought  agrees  in  de- 
claring the  impartial  goodness  of  God. 

The  enemies  of  this  doctrine,  would  persuade  us  to 
believe  that  it  tends  to  licentiousness,  and  removes 
all  restraint  necessary  to  prevent  the  grossest  immor- 
tality. But  have  they  ever  attempted  to  show  that 
the  universal  promise  of  grace  in  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
ever  tended  to  make  that  friend  of  God,  who  believed 
it  licentious?  Will  they  undertake  to  show  that  the 
united  testimony  of  all  God's  holy  prophets  since  the 
world  began,  who  have  spoken  of  the  restitution  of  all 
things,  has  made  the  believers  of  the  faithful  word 
perverse  and  sinful  ?  Can  you,  my  friends,  see  any 
thing  licentious  in  the  sun-shine  or  in  the  rain,  of  which 
all  are  made  to  share  in  rich  abundance  ?  Is  the  vital 
air  licentious  because  it  is  free  grace  to  every  living 
being?  Are  the  cooling  springs  and  limpid  streams 
lasivious  in  their  impartial  favor?  In  all  these  things 
God  preaches  every  day,  and  his  auditors  rejoice  in 
lis  mercy. 

Having  noticed  the  universality  of  this  promised 
grace  of  the  gospel  covenant,  it  may  be  proper  to  in- 
quire something  concerning  what  is  promised.  "  A 
feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees  ;  of  fat 
things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees  well  refin- 
ed." This  is  surely  a  description,  of  a  most  sumptu- 
ous feast.  Here  are  no  indications  of  poverty  and 
want.  This  feast  too  is  made  for  all  people !  I  cast 
my  eyes  around,  I  rejoice,  my  heart  swells  with  joy. 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  81 

This  feast  is  made  for  you  all !  Can  it  be  possible  that 
this  God  of  universal  mercy  should  have  any  enemies  ? 
Yes,  men  are  enemies  to  God  by  wicked  works ;  yet 
for  these  very  enemies  he  has  made  this  feast  of  fat 
things.  But  of  what  does  this  feast  consist  ?  Answer, 
it  is  composed  of  the  fruit  of  the  spirit  which  is  "  love, 
joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith, 
meekness,  temperance."  This  is  the  river,  "  the 
streams  whereof  make  glad  the  city  of  our  God." 

What  is  richer,  what  is  sweeter,  what  is  mere  nour- 
ishing than  love  ?  Love  to  God  and  love  to  man  is 
life,  it  is  peace,  it  is  joy,  it  is  long-suffering,  it  is  gen- 
tleness it  is  goodness  ;  it  believeth  all  things,  it  hopeth 
all  things,  it  endureth  all  things ;  it  is  meekness,  it  is 
temperance,  it  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  it  is  ev- 
erlasting righteousness.  This  is  the  milk  and  honey 
of  spiritual  Canaan.  This  is  the  feast  of  which  we 
read  in  the  9th  of  Proverbs  ;  "  Wisdom  hath  built 
her  house,  she  hath  hewn  out  her  seven  pillars ; 
she  hath  killed  her  beast  ;  she  hath  mingled  her 
wine ;  she  hath  also  furnished  her  table  ;  she  hath 
sent  forth  her  maidens  ;  she  crieth  upon  the  high  pla- 
ces of  the  city,  whoso  is  simple,  let  him  turn  in  hither  ; 
as  for  him  that  wanteth  understanding,  she  saith  to 
him,  come  eat  of  my  bread  and  drink  of  the  wine 
which  I  have  mingled,  forsake  the  foolish  and  live  : 
and  go  in  the  way  of  understanding."  By  the  Pro- 
phet Isaiah  wTe  are  invited  to  this  feast  in  the  following 
language :  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to 
the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy 
and  eat :  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  mo- 
ney, and  without  price.  Wherefore  do  ye  spend  mo- 
ney for  that  which  is  not  bread  ?  and  your  labor  for 
that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  Hearken  diligently  unto 
me,  and  eat  of  that  which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul 
delight  itself  in  fatness."  And  the  blessed  Jesus,  in 
the  great  day  of  the  feast,  stood  and  cried,  "  If  any 
man  thirst  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink."  By  such 
language  as  the  foregoing,  from  the  prophet  and  from 
the  Saviour,  we  are  assured  that  this  feast  is  made  for 
"all  people."     If  this  were  not    the  case  the  Holy 


82  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

Ghost  would  not  use  general  and  universal  terms  in 
calling  on  people  to  come  to  it.  Should  one  of  our 
wealthy  citizens  make  a  public  entertainment,  and 
send  his  servants  into  the  streets  to  invite  the  people 
in  such  language  as  is  used  in  scripture  to  invite  sin- 
ners to  the  gospel  feast,  every  person  who  heard  such 
invitations  would  either  believe  that  he  was  welcome, 
or  that  the  man  who  made  the  feast  was  a  hypocrite. 
To  talk  about  general  calls  and  special  calls  in  this 
case  would  never  satisfy  common  sense. 

Our  brother,  who  holds  to  conditional  salvation 
may  be  admitted  to  bring  his  objection  against  the 
final  salvation  of  all  men,  and  say,  that  the  feast 
is  made  for  all  who  will  come,  and  the  invitation  is  to 
whosoever  will.  Reply  :  We  grant  his  premises,  but 
disallow  his  consequences.  We  will  ask  him  whether 
he  would  be  concerned  for  fear  his  children  would 
starve  to  death,  if  he  had  bread  enough  to  give  them? 
Would  any  person  be  concerned  for  their  children  or 
friends,  for  fear  they  would  starve,  when  they  had 
enough  to  eat  ?  it  is  true  there  may  be  difficulties  to 
be  removed  ;  there  may  be  a  case  in  which  though 
there  be  a  plenty  of  provision,  the  children  may  not 
know  where  it  is.  In  this  case  the  parent  would  cer- 
tainly use  means  to  inform  them.  Again,  children 
may  be  plagued  with  disobedient  hearts,  they  may 
wander  from  home,  they  may,  from  being  displeased, 
refuse  to  come  to  the  parental  table,  but  hunger  will 
cure  all  these  difficulties. — Let  the  child  that  wilfully 
refuses  to  eat,  be  indulged  in  its  own  way,  how  soon 
will  hunger  humble  its  spirit.  How  came  the  brethren 
of  Joseph  all  to  prostrate  themselves  before  him? 
These  men  who  were  so  determined  that  the  dreams 
of  Joseph  should  never  be  fulfilled,  who  despised  the 
thought  of  falling  on  their  knees  to  their  brother,  were 
humbled  by  famine.  The  stout  hearted,  haughty 
prodigal  was  humbled,  brought  to  himself,  and  made 
willing  to  return  to  his  father's  house  by  the  force  of 
hunger.  Was  there  ever  any  uncertainty  respecting 
the  reduction  of  Joseph's  brethren  to  a  state  of  humili- 
ty ?     Was  there  any  uncertainty  about  the  final  return 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  83 

of  the  prodigal  ?  No,  nor  is  there  any  uncertainty 
that  "  All  the  ends  of  the  world  shall  remember  and 
turn  unto  the  Lord." 

That  law  by  which  all  creatures  are  governed  ren- 
ders it  certain  that  all  people  will  feed  on  the  best  pro- 
visions they  can  procure,  especially  if  it  cost  them 
nothing. 

If  Ephraim  of  old,  fed  on  wind,  and  followed  after 
the  east  wind,  it  was  because  he  knew  of  nothing 
better.  And  if  people  now  are  as  much  deceived  as 
Ephraim  was,  they  may  endeavor  to  feed  on  every 
wind  of  doctrine  that  blows  from  the  high  places  of 
spiritual  wickedness ;  but  it  is  because  they  know  of 
nothing  better.  God  says,  by  the  mouth  of  the  Pro- 
phet Hosea ;  "  My  people  are  destroyed  for  lack  of 
knowledge."  This  situation  of  mankind  seems  to  in- 
vite us  to  the  consideration  of  another  important  sub- 
ject in  our  text,  expressed  in  the  following  words  ; 
"  And  he  will  destroy  in  this  mountain  the  face  of  the 
covering  cast  over  all  people,  and  the  vail  that  is  spread 
over  all  nations." 

This  vail  or  face  of  covering  which  has  been  spread 
over  all  nations  is  the  ignorance  and  unbelief  of  which 
St.  Paul  speaks  in  Romans  11th,  "  For  God  hath 
concluded  them  all  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  have 
mercy  upon  all."  And  the  same  Apostle  has  more 
on  the  same  subject  in  his  2d  Epistle  to  the  Corinthi- 
ans ;  "  Seeing  then  that  we  have  such  hope,  we  use 
great  plainness  of  speech ;  and  not  as  Moses  which 
put  a  vail  over  his  face,  that  the  children  of  Israel 
could  not  steadfastly  look  to  the  end  of  that  which  is 
abolished :  but  their  minds  were  blinded  :  for  until 
this  day  remaineth  the  same  vail  untaken  away  in 
reading  the  Old  Testament ;  which  vail  is  done  away 
in  Christ.  But  even  unto  this  day,  when  Moses  is 
read,  the  vail  is  upon  their  heart.  Nevertheless, 
when  it  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  vail  shall  be  taken 
away." 

The  gospel  dispensation  and  ministry  were  design- 
ed for  the  enlightening  and  instructing  of  mankind. 
Jesus  was  a  teacher  sent  from  God ;    the   Apostles 


84  BALLOu's    LECTURES. 

were  commanded  to  teach  all  nations,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature.  In  short,  the  true  know- 
ledge of  God  is  the  life  and  salvation  which  the  Sa- 
viour  brings  to  the  world  ;  it  is  the  feast  of  fat  things 
which  is  made  in  mount  Sion  for  all  people.  Jesus  said 
in  his  prayer  to  the  Father  :  "  Glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy 
Son  also  may  glorify  thee  :  thou  hast  given  him  pow- 
er over  all  flesh,  that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as 
many  as  thou  hast  given  him.  And  this  is  life  eternal, 
that  they  might  know  thee  the  only  true  God  and  Je- 
sus Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent."  Did  every  child  of 
Adam  now  know  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  they  would 
have  eternal  life.  We  are  told,  that  this  is  the  record, 
that  God  hath  given  unto  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life 
is  in  his  Son  ;  that  is,  the  knowledge  of  God  is  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Salvation  then  consists  in  knowing  God,  which 
makes  it  evident  that  the  nature  of  God  is  salvation. 
As  fast,  therefore,  as  we  advance  in  the  knowledge  of 
God  we  enjoy  the  rich  provisions  which  are  made  for 
all  people.  The  hearer  may  now  see  the  nature  of 
the  general  subject.  The  love,  wisdom,  knowledge 
and  goodness  of  God  are  free  for  all  people  and  are 
calculated  to  bless,  with  fulness  of  joy,  every  creature. 
In  the  divine  economy  man  is  constituted  capable  of 
advancing  in  wisdom,  knowledge,  and  love,  and  there- 
fore seems  destined  in  his  nature  to  the  enjoyments 
under  consideration. 

When  "all  shall  know  the  Lord,"  there  will  be  no 
need  of  one's  teaching  another  ;  the  vail  then  will  be 
gone,  there  will  be  no  unbelief,  and  of  course  no  hard- 
ness of  heart.  The  knowledge  of  the  Lord  shall  cov- 
er the  earth,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea. 

Will  the  advocate  for  limited  salvation,  and  the  end- 
.ess  misery  of  mankind  pretend,  that  those  who  are 
to  be  forever  miserable  are  to  remain  ignorant  of  the 
true  character  of  God  ?  Will  the  time  never  come 
when  deception  will  be  removed  ?  Have  we  reason  to 
believe,  that  error  will  be  secured  from  divine  light  so  as 
to  remain  in  the  mind  forever?  Or  will  the  opposer 
say  :  No,  error  will  be  destroyed,  and  the  deceived  will 
be  brought  to   see  and   know  the  truth,  but  then  it 


BALLOTS    LECTURES.  85 

will  all  be  too  late !  The  day  of  his  probation  will 
then  be  ended,  and  he  not  saved  ?  This  has  an 
awful  sound,  and  such  talk  has  greatly  troubled 
thousands,  but  enlightened  none.  Let  us  ask,  how  it 
can  be  possible  that  any  rational  being  should  know 
divine  truth  too  late  to  enjoy  it  ?  Is  it  possible  to 
know  God  and  Jesus  Christ  and  not  be  filled  with  di- 
vine love  ?  But  this  subject  is  erroneously  represent- 
ed, as  if  we  were  to  receive  eternal  life  as  a  reward  for 
knowing  God  in  a  certain  given  time,  called  the  time 
of  our  probation ;  after  which  it  would  be  no  advan- 
tage to  us  to  know  him.  This  idea  does  not  acknow- 
ledge the  truth  of  the  w7ords  of  Jesus  ;  "  This  is  life 
eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee  the  only  true  God, 
and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou  hast  sent." 

The  hearer  is  now  invited  to  give  a  moment's  atten- 
tion to  another  most  weighty  subject  contained  in  the 
passage  under  consideration,  and  expressed  in  the  fol- 
lowing words  ;  "  He  will  swallow  up  death  in  victory." 
Death  is  of  two  kinds,  moral  and  natural.  Moral 
death  is  the  effect  of  sin,  natural  death  is  the  effect  of 
a  mortal  constitution.  In  order  to  swallow  up  these 
two  kinds  of  death,  sin  must  be  finished,  everlasting 
righteousness  take  its  place,  and  mortality  must  put  on 
immortality.  The  scriptures  are  clear  on  these  sub- 
jects, and  leave  no  room  for  doubt.  The  fore-runner 
of  Jesus  said  of  him  ;  "  Behold  the  lamb  of  God  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  The  beloved  dis- 
ciple said  ;  "  And  we  know  that' he  was  manifested  to 
take  away  our  sins."  Again  ;  "  If  any  man  sin  we 
have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous ;  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins  ;  and 
not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world."  Again ;  "  For  this  purpose  was*  the  son  of 
God  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of 
the  devil."  Moral  death  consists  in  unreconciliation  to 
God  and  is  swallowed  up  in  victory  by  the  ministration 
of  reconciliation,  to  wit :  "  that  God  was  in  Christ  rec- 
onciling the  world  to  himself,  not  imputing  their  tresp- 
asses unto  them."  Reconciliation  to  God  is  victory  over 
moral  death.  St.  Paul  says  to  the  Romans  ;  "  Moreover 
8 


86  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

law  entered  that  the  offence  might  abound,  but  where 
sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound.  That  as 
sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might  grace  reign 
through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life,  by  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord. — For  when  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye 
were  free  from  righteousness  What  fruit  had  ye  then 
in  those  things  whereof  ye  are  now  ashamed  ;  for  the 
end  of  those  things  is  death.  But  now,  being  made 
free  from  sin  and  become  servants  to  God,  ye  have 
your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life. 
For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death,  but  the  gift  of  God  is 
eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

The  15th  chapter  of  the  1st  epistle  of  the  Corinthi- 
ans is  principally  devoted  to  the  support  of  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  on  the  hypothesis 
that  "  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be 
made  alive."  The  hearer  is  earnestly  solicited  to 
read  this  chapter  with  peculiar  attention,  by  which  he 
will  perceive  that  the  Apostle  did  not  believe  in  a 
state  of  sin  and  misery  after  the  resurrection,  but  a 
glorious  state  of  life  and  immortality  The  consumma- 
tion of  this  transcendent  event  the  inspired  author  in- 
forms us  is  the  fulfilment  of  our  subject.  "  Then  shall 
be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  death  is 
swallowed  up  in  victory." — Lastly,  "  And  the  Lord 
God  shall  wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces  :  and  the 
rebuke  of  his  people  shall  he  take  away  from  off  all  the 
earth ;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it."  Here  the  pro- 
phet presents  us  with  the  most  moving  scene  that  ever 
imagination  could  invent,  or  language  describe.  He 
represents  the  Father  of  our  spirits  as  throwing  away 
forever  the  rod  of  correction ;  and  approaching  his 
humble,  penitent,  weeping  children,  and  with  the  pity- 
ing hand  of  parental  love  wiping  away  the  tears  his 
fatherly  severity  had  caused  to  flow. 

To  conclude,  our  subject  and  doctrine  may  be  im- 
proved in  the  following  manner. 

As  God  is  recommended  to  be  impartially  good  to 
the  whole  human  family,  ordering  and  directing  all 
things  for  the  advancement  of  our  happiness,  he  is 
worthy  of  our  unfeigned  love  and  gratitude  ;  and  the  due 


BALLOU's    LECTURES.  87 

consideration  of  this  weighty  truth  imposes  on  us  all 
the  great  and  rational  duty  of  conforming  our  minds, 
affections  and  conduct  to  this  benevolent  doctrine. 
Though  the  opposers  of  this  grace  of  universal  salvation 
have  so  far  misunderstood  the  subject,  as  to  represent 
it  tending  to  licentiousness,  we  are  fully  convinced  as 
that  no  other  doctrine  is  a  safe  foundation  on  which  to 
build  a  moral  character,  or  by  which  we  can  become  con- 
formed to  the  religion  of  Jesus,  which  embraces  lovo 
to  our  enemies.  It  seems  as  vain  as  it  is  absurd  to  at- 
tempt to  cultivate  universal  love  and  good  will  towards 
mankind  by  enforcing  on  the  mind  partial  and  limited 
views  of  the  goodness  of  God.  But  having  this  divine 
and  glorious  foundation  firmly  fixed  in  our  under- 
standings, let  us  remember  with  proper  caution,  that 
"  the  grace  of  God  which  bringeth  salvation  to  all  men 
hath  appeared,  teaching  us,  that  denying  ungodliness 
and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  and  right- 
eously, and  godly,  in  this  present  world." 

As  the  rich  provisions  of  the  gospel  of  everlasting 
life  are  made  for  all  people,  as  all  are  most  tenderly 
and  cordially  invited  to  partake  of  the  blessed  fruit  of 
the  tree  of  life,  let  us  all  strive  in  earnest  to  under- 
stand and  know  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  Let  us 
feast  on  the  divine  truth  revealed  in  the  faithful  word. 
Why  should  reasonable  creatures,  blessed  with  such 
powers  of  investigation,  and  capable  of  enjoying  such 
intellectual  dainties,  lie  supinely  and  feed  on  wind,  on 
vanity,  on  lies,  and  roll  falsehood  and  the  gall  of  error 
and  superstition  as  a  sweet  morsel  under  their  tongues  ? 
Come  away  from  all  the  partial  schemes  of  the  wis- 
dom of  this  world,  leave  behind  you  all  the  broken 
cisterns  hewn  out  by  man's  invention,  which  can  hold 
no  water,  and  come  to  the  fountain  of  living  waters. 
Have  you  endeavoured  to  satisfy  your  souls  with  the 
polluted  bread  of  a  heaven  where  you  must  look  down 
and  see  your  fellow  creatures  in  endless  torments  ? 
Where  you  must  hear  the  ceaseless  groans  of  fathers, 
mothers,  wives,  children  and  other  dear  relatives  ? 
Have  you  strove  to  conform  yourselves  to  these  a 
bominations?       O   hear   the   language   of  our    text 


88  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

and  let  your  hearts  rejoice  in  the  God  of  our  salva- 
tion. "  In  this  mountain  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts 
make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,  of  wines 
on  the  lees,  of  fat  things,  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on 
the  lees,  well  refined.  And  he  will  destroy  in  this 
mountain  the  face  of  the  covering  cast  over  all  people, 
and  the  vail  that  is  spread  over  all  nations.  He  will 
swallow  up  death  in  victory  ;  and  the  Lord  God  will 
wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces  ;  and  the  rebuke  of 
his  people  shall  he  take  away  from  off  all  the  earth ; 
for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it." 


LECTURE    VII 


THE    BURNING    UP    OF    THE     PROUD    AND    OF    ALL    THAT 

DO    WICKEDLY. 

MALACHI,  iv.  1. 

For,  behold,  the  day  coineth  that  shall  burn  as  an  oven;  and  all  the  proud 
yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  stubble;  and  the  day  that  cometh 
shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neither 
root  nor  branch. 

This  portion  of  prophetic  testimony  having  been 
generally  used  to  support  the  awful,  terrific  doctrine  of 
future  endless  misery,  and  being  now  brought  as  an 
objection  to  a  belief  in  the  divine  goodness  to  all  men 
is  the  occasion  of  the  request  which  has  called  our  at- 
tention to  this  subject  at  this  time. 

As  we  have  consented  to  discuss  this  text  in  this 
evening's  discourse,  a  hope  is  entertained  that  the  au- 
dience will  feel  such  an  interest  in  the  investigation  as 
will  occasion  a  most  devout  and  religious  attention. 
If  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  these  words,  intended  to  inform 
us  that  it  is  the  divine  determination  not  to  humble 
the  proud  nor  reform  those  who  do  wickedly,  but  to 
execute  upon  them  endless  torture,  no  doubt  it  is  ne- 
cessary for  us  so  to  understand  these  and  other  words 
of  divine  inspiration  ;  but  if  these  words  were  designed 
to  indicate  the  reduction  of  the  proud  to  humility,  and 
the  reformation  of  those  who  do  wickedly,  it  is  of  im- 
portance that  we  so  understand  them.  Let  us,  there- 
fore, carefully  examine  the  text  under  consideration  to 
see  if  its  most  natural  meaning  is,  that  all  the  proud 
and  all  that  do  wickedly  are  to  be  tormented  eternally 
in  a  fire  that  shall  burn  as  an  oven.  If  wa  find  that 
this  is  the  true  meaning  of  this  passage,  we  must  ad- 
mit it  as  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the  terrific  doctrine 
to  which  it  is  usually  applied,  and  as  a  refutation  of  the 
8* 


90  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

doctrine  of  universal  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ.  Fur- 
thermore, if  the  common  use  of  this  text  be  admitted, 
we  must  reasonably  suppose,  that,  this  doctrine  is  the 
doctrine  of  the  holy  scriptures  generally. 

Let  us  look  at  the  text.  "  For,  behold,  the  day 
cometh  that  shall  burn  as  an  oven  ;  and  all  the  proud, 
yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  stubble :  and 
the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root  nor 
branch."  If  this  lano;ua2;e  is  to  be  understood  accord- 
ing  to  its  most  literal  sense  it  means  that,  all  the  proud, 
yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly  shall  be  burnt  up  as  stub- 
ble is  consumed  that  is  burned  in  an  oven.  There 
will  remain  of  the  proud  and  the  wicked  neither  root 
nor  branch.  To  use  a  simile,  we  will  suppose  that 
it  is  said  of  a  tree,  that  the  fire  has  consumed  it,  root 
and  branch ;  would  any  reasonable  person  understand 
that  the  tree  now  exists  ?  No  they  would  not.  Now 
if  the  tree  do  not  exist,  it  surely  does  not  continue  to 
burn.  The  conclusion  then  is  this  ;  if  the  proud  and 
those  who  do  wickedly  are  literally  burnt  up,  they  will 
cease  to  exist,  and  of  course,  they  will  cease  to  be  tor- 
mented. It  would  be  just  as  reasonable  to  contend, 
that  John  Rogers  is  now  burning  in  the  fire  that,  con- 
sumed him,  as  to  apply  our  text  to  prove  the  endless 
torments  of  the  wicked. 

We  may  ask  why  stubble  should  be  used  to  repre- 
sent the  proud  and  them  who  do  wickedly  ?  Stubble 
is  extremely  combustible,  it  is  consumed  and  gone  al- 
most as  soon  as  it  is  set  on  fire.  It  therefore  shows 
that  the  proud  and  them  who  do  wickedly  will  continue 
to  burn  but  a  short  time,  and  this  idea  is  fully  express- 
ed in  the  conclusion  of  our  text ;  "  it  shall  leave  them 
neither  root  nor  branch."  The  Holy  Ghost,  by  the 
mouth  of  David,  has  said,  as  recorded  in  the  37th 
Psalm  ;  "  For  yet  a  little  while  and  the  wicked  shall 
not  be :  yea,  thou  shalt  diligently  consider  his  place, 
and  it  shall  not  be."  According  to  this  divine  predic- 
tion the  wicked  will  not  exist  but  a  little  while  and 
of  course  cannot  suffer  but  a  little  while  ;  for  they  sure- 
ly cannot  suffer  any  longer  than  they  exist.      We  read 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  91 

in  the  10th  of  Proverbs  as  follows,  "As  the  whirlwind 
passeth,  so  is  the  wicked  no  more  ;  but  the  righteous 
is  an  everlasting  foundation." 

Not  only  does  the  text  under  consideration  fully  dis- 
prove the  idea  to  which  it  is  usually  applied,  but  the  sev- 
eral passages  already  quoted  equally  disprove  it.  To 
their  united  testimony  we  may  add  what  candid,  unpre- 
judiced reason  seems  to  suggest  on  the  same  subject. 

It  is  granted  by  all  who  profess  to  believe  in  a   Su- 
preme Being,  that  he  is  a  Being  of  infinite  goodness. 
Now  we  know  that  it  is  not  the  nature  of  goodness  to 
harm  any  creature,  but  to  do  good  to  all.     From  these 
plain  self-evident  facts  we  infer,  that  God  will  never 
administer  any  kind  of  affliction  to  any  of  his  creatures, 
which  is  not  designed  for  their  benefit.     If  a  creature 
be  in  a  state  of  keen  distress,  from  which  there  is  no 
hope  of  recovery,  to  put  an  end  to  this  creature's  ex- 
istence is  a  favor.     That  very  fond  and  compassionate 
love,  which  renders  the  parent  solicitous  for  the  child's 
recovery  from  pain  and  sickness,  and  impels  to  every 
possible  exertion  which  promises  the  least  relief,  will, 
the  moment  all  hope  is  gone,  seek  repose  in  the  disso- 
lution of  nature. — Were  it  proposed  to  a  kind   parent, 
whose  tender  offspring  is  struggling  with  the  distress 
of  a  most  painful  complaint,    that  though  the  child 
could  not  be  cured,  it  might  be  preserved  in  its  present 
situation  to  old  age,  would  this  be  chosen  rather  than 
that  these  pains  should  subside  in  the   peaceful  sleep 
of  death  ?     The  evident  fact  is,  that  goodness  is  never 
willing  to  prolong  pain  and  distress  unless  it  is  seen 
how  this  may  prove  beneficial  to  the  subject.     It  there- 
fore belongs  to  those  who  contend  for  the  doctrine  of 
endless  punishment,  to  cast  in  their  minds  whether 
they  can  justify  themselves  in  giving  to  the  Father  of 
our  spirits  a  character,  which  for  cruelty  infinitely  ex- 
ceeds that  of  the  most  unfeeling  tyrant  which  has  ever 
oppressed  mankind. 

The  faithful  word  of  divine  inspiration,  as  recorded 
in  the  57th  chapter  of  Isaiah  informs  us  that  God  "  will 
not  contend  forever,  neither  will  he  be  always  wroth : 
ror   the    spirit   should  fail  before  him,  and  the  souls 


92  BALLOU's  LECTURES. 

which  he  has  made."  And  by  the  same  divine  author 
ity  we  have  it  recorded  in  the  3d  chapter  of  the  Lam- 
entations, that  the  "  Lord  will  not  cast  off  forever : 
but  though  he  cause  grief,  yet  will  he  have  compas- 
sion according  to  the  multitude  of  his  mercies.  For 
he  doth  not  afflict  willingly,  nor  grieve  the  children  of 


men." 


While  these  last  quoted  passages  prove,  beyond  all 
contradiction,  that  God  will  not  punish  his  creatures 
with  an  endless  punishment,  they  as  fully  show  that 
the  design  of  punishment  is  not  to  annihilate  the  soul 
that  God  has  made.  The  reason  which  God  renders 
in  the  passage  quoted  frcm  Isaiah,  why  he  will  not 
contend  forever  nor  be  always  wroth  is  because  the 
spirit  would  fail  before  him,  and  the  soul  which  he  has 
made. 

We  may  now  consider  the  following  important 
question,  (viz.)  How  is  it  possible  that  all  the  proud 
yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly  should  be  burnt  up  root 
and  branch,  and  yet  be  saved  in  the  Lord  Jesus  with 
an  everlasting  salvation  ?  And  furthermore,  how  can 
the  wicked  be  saved  by  the  grace  of  God,  if  the  words 
spoken  by  David  be  true,  where  he  says,  as  before 
quoted  ;  "  For  yet  a  little  while  and  the  wicked  shall 
not  be  ?"  If  the  wicked  are  not  allowed  to  exist,  how 
can  they  be  saved? 

Reply  :  Here  we  think  is  a  proper  place  to  bring  in 
the  scripture  doctrine  of  regeneration  or  new  birth, 
not  with  a  design  to  treat  it  by  way  of  explaining  it, 
but  by  application.  Jesus  said  to  the  Jews  ;  "  Ye  are 
of  your  father  the  devil,  and  the  lust  of  your  father 
ye  will  do." — Now  suppose  any  of  these  Jews  were 
converted  by  the  spirit  of  truth  after  our  Saviour's  as- 
cension to  glory,  they  thereby  became  the  children  of 
God.  If  so,  they  were  no  longer  the  children  of  the 
devil.  If  any  of  the  children  of  the  devil  can  by  re- 
generating grace,  become  the  children  of  God,  then 
by  the  same  grace  all  the  children  of  the  devil  may 
become  the  children  of  God.  Suppose  this  should  ev- 
er be  accomplished  would  not  the  predictions  of  the 
Prophets  be  fulfilled  ?  Where  are  the  wicked  ?  There 
arc  none  — Where  is  his  place  ?     As  there  are  none 


BALLOu's    LECTURES.  93 

wicked  so  there  is  no  place  for  the  wicked.  Where  is 
the  stubble  ?  the  fire  has  passed  over  it — there  is  no 
stubble. — Look  carefully,  see  if  the  root  be  not  left — 
the  root  is  all  consumed. — Are  the  branches  spared  ? 
There  is  neither  root  nor  branch  left. 

Now  turn  your  eyes  and  behold  the  innumerable 
multitude  of  all  nations  on  mount  Zion.  From  whence 
came  they  ?  These  are  they  who  came  out  of  great 
tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  lamb.  They  have  been 
translated  out  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness  into  the 
kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son. 

The  hearers  will  now  ask  if  we  are  to  explain  the 
text  under  consideration  in  this  way  ?  Is  it  in  reality 
a  fact  that  this  text  which  has  been  so  often  quoted  to 
terrify  us  with  the  apprehensions  of  never  ending  burn- 
ings, does,  in  reality,  mean  the  purification  of  all  who 
do  wickedly,  and  the  total  destruction  of  wicked- 
ness? 

Reply  :  As  we  have  already  proved,  that  the  text 
can  neither  be  applied  to  the  endless  duration  of  pun- 
ishment, nor  yet  to  the  annihilation  of  the  proud  and 
them  that  do  wickedly,  we  may  now  proceed  to  in- 
quire for  its  true  application,  by  bringing  it  into  con- 
nexion with  other  passages  in  particular  where  similar 
language  is  used,  and  with  those  generally  which  ex- 
press the  design  and  will  of  God  concerning  sinners. 
By  a  careful  attention  to  this  method,  we  shall  be  like- 
ly to  avoid  any  application  that  would  be  in  opposition 
to  the  revealed  testimony. 

"  For,  behold,  the  day  cometh  that  shall  burn  as  an 
oven."  What  day  is  this  ?  A  little  before  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  the  Prophet  uses  the  following  words  ; 
"  Behold  1  will  send  my  messenger  and  he  shall  pre- 
pare the  way  before  me  ;  and  the  Lord,  whom  ye  seek, 
shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple,  even  the  messen- 
ger of  the  covenant,  whom  ye  delight  in  ;  behold  he 
shall  come  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  But  who  may 
abide  the  day  of  his  coming  ?  and  who  shall  stand 
when  he  appeareth  ?  for  he  is  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and 
like  fuller's  soap.     And  he  shall  set  as  a  refiner  and 


94  BALLOll's    LECTURES. 

purifier  of  silver ;  and  he  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi, 
and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that  they  may  of- 
fer unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righteousness." 

The  messenger  here  promised,  who  should  prepare 
the  way  before  the  Lord,  we  find  in  John  the  baptist, 
accordingly  as  we  read  Luke  1st,  "  And  thou,  child, 
shalt  be  called  the  prophet  of  the  highest,  for  thou 
shalt  go  before  the  face  of  the  Lord  to  prepare  his 
ways."  Compare  also,  Isaiah  40th,  3d,  with  Luke  3d 
4th.  By  bringing  these  scriptures  together  we  learn, 
that  the  day  spoken  of  in  this  3d  chapter  of  Malachi 
was  the  time  of  the  coming  of  Christ  who  is  called  the 

messenger  of  the  covenant,  who  should  be  as  a  refiner's 
~  . . . 

fire  and  like  fuller's  soap.  There  is  no  doubt  then  but 
this  scripture  was  a  prophecy  of  the  gospel  day,  and  of 
its  refining  and  purifying  mankind. 

We  shall  in  the  next  place  prove  that  the  day  spo- 
ken of  in  our  text  is  the  same  day  of  which  mention  is 
made  in  the  preceding  chapter,  which  we  have  shown 
to  be  the  gospel  day.  Following  our  text  the  Prophet 
goes  on  to  describe  what  shall  take  place  on  this  day 
that  shall  burn  as  an  oven,  &c.  but  before  he  closes 
the  subject  he  says ;  "  Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah 
the  Prophet  before  the  coming  of  the  great  and  dread- 
ful day  of  the  Lord.  And  he  shall  turn  the  heart  of 
the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  heart  of  the  chil- 
dren to  the  fathers,  lest  I  come  and  smite  the  earth 
with  a  curse."  The  hearer  will  observe  that  he  who 
is  called  Elijah  in  the  Old  Testament  is  called  Elias  in 
the  New.  Speaking  of  John,  Jesus  says,  as  recorded 
Matt.  11  ;  "  For  this  is  he  of  whom  it  is  written,  be- 
hold I  send  my  messenger  before  thy  face,  which  shall 
prepare  thy  way  before  thee. — And  if  ye  will  receive 
it,  this  is  Elias  which  was  for  to  come."  Thus  as  evi- 
dently as  we  can  prove  any  thing  from  the  scriptures, 
we  prove  that  the  day  that  is  mentioned  five  or  six 
times  in  these  two  chapters  is  the  gospel  day. 

The  Prophet  Isaiah  speaks  of  this  burning  day  in  his 
9th  chapter  as  follows ;  "  For  every  battle  of  the  war- 
rior is  with  confused  noise,  and  garments  rolled  in 
blood,  but  this  shall  be  with  burning  and  full  of  fire. 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  95 

For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given  and 
the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder :  and  his 
name  shall  be  called  Wonderful  Counsellor,  the  migh- 
ty God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the  prince  of  peace. 
Of  the  increase  of  his  government  and  peace  there 
shall  be  no  end." 

As  it  is  granted  by  all  that  this  prophecy  alludes  to 
Christ  and  to  the  peace  which  he  has  made  by  the 
blood  of  his  cross,  it  may  be  proper  to  ask  whether  it 
be  not  reasonable  to  conclude  that  this  burning  is  the 
same  as  mentioned  in  our  text,  and  this  fuel  of  fire  the 
same  as  stubble  in  our  text  ?  If  what  is  so  reasonable 
be  allowed,  it  seems  perfectly  safe  to  allow,  that  the 
true  meaning  of  the  passage  under  discussion,  is  the 
purifying  of  the  wicked  "  by  the  spirit  of  judgment  and 
the  spirit  of  burning." 

The  fire  which  distinguishes  the  day  and  work  of 
the  great  sanctifier  of  sinners  is  described  by  John  the 
forerunner  of  Jesus,  in  Matt.  3,  "I  indeed  baptize  you 
with  water  unto  repentance  ;  but  he  that  cometh  after 
me  is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to 
bear ;  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
with  fire ;  whose  fan  is  in  his  hands,  and  he  will  thor- 
oughly purge  his  floor  and  gather  his  wheat  into  his 
garner,  but  he  will  burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquench- 
able fire."  Thus  the  true  spiritual  baptism  of  Jesus  is 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire;  and  with  the  fire 
with  which  he  baptizes,  he  burns  up  the  chaff. 

In  1st  Corinthians,  3d.  St.  Paul  has  a  passage  which 
is  remarkably  similar  to  the  one  we  are  investigating ; 
it  reads  thus  ;  "  Now  if  any  man  build  upon  this  foun- 
dation, gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stub- 
ble ;  every  man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest :  for 
the  day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by 
fire  ;  and  the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work  of  what 
sort  it  is.  If  any  man's  work  abide  which  he  hath 
built  thereupon,  he  shall  receive  a  reward.  If  any 
man's  work  shall  be  burnt,  he  shall  suffer  loss  :  but  he 
himself  shall  be  saved  ;  yet  so  as  by  fire."  In  this 
passage  wicked  works  are  called  stubble  ;  these  works 
are  to  be  burnt  up,  and  the  wicked  saved  ;  yet  so  as 


96  BALLOU'S  LECTURES. 

by  fire.  Now  if  we  allow  scripture  to  explain  scrip- 
ture, we  may  be  satisfied  of  the  true  meaning  of  our 
text.  "  All  the  proud,  and  all  them  that  do  wickedly" 
must  pass  the  fire  of  the  day  of  the  Lord.  In  the 
character  of  the  proud  and  the  wicked  they  must  be. 
destroyed  root  and  branch,  and  be  translated  into  the 
kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son. 

We  may  now  proceed  to  show,  that  this  sense  of 
the  passage  under  consideration  is  agreeable  to  the 
scripture  testimony  generally  in  respect  to  God's  will 
and  revealed  purpose  concerning  sinners. 

In  St.  Paul's  1st  epistle  to  Timothy  he  exhorts  him 
to  pray  and  give  thanks  for  all  men,  and  as  a  reason 
for  so  doing,  he  says;  "  For  this  is  good  and  axcepta- 
ble  in  the  sight  of  God  our  Saviour  ;  who  will  have  all 
men  to  be  saved  and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth."  In  his  epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  the  same 
author  says ;  "  Wherein  he  hath  abounded  toward  us 
in  all  wisdom  and  prudence  ;  having  made  known  unto 
us  the  mystery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  plea- 
sure, which  he  hath  purposed  in  himself:  that  in  the 
dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times  he  might  gather  to- 
gether in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in 
heaven  and  which  are  on  earth  ;  even  in  him,"  Ac- 
cording to  these  passages  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  all 
men  should  be  saved,  should  be  gathered  together  in 
Christ.  And  Jesus  himself  says  ;  "  I  came  down  from 
heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own  will,  but  the  will  of  him 
that  sent  me."  If  God  will  the  salvation  of  all  men, 
and  Jesus  came  to  do  his  Father's  will  it  is  evident 
that  he  came  to  save  all  men.  Again  the  Saviour 
says ;  "For  God  sent  not  his  son  into  the  world  to 
condemn  the  world  ;  but  that  the  world  through  him 
might  be  saved."  The  forerunner  of  Jesus  says  of 
him  ;  "  Behold  the  lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world."  When  the  religious  people  of  the 
Jews  found  fault  with  Christ  because  he  was  a  friend  to 
publicans  and  sinners,  he  informed  them  that  he  came 
to  call  sinners  to  repentance,  and  to  seek  and  to  save 
that  which  was  lost.  In  a  word,  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel  is  a  ministry  of  reconciliation,  and  testifies  "  that 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  97 

God  was  in  Christ  Jesus  reconciling  the  world  to  him- 
self, not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them. 

Not  only  does   the  testimony  of  Jesus,  which  we 
have  quoted,  prove    that   sinners   are  the  objects  of 
God's  love  and  the  subjects  of  gospel  salvation,  but  St. 
Paul  reasons  to  the  same  point ;  in  his  epistle  to  the 
Romans  he  says  :  "  But  God  commendeth  his  love  to- 
ward    us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ 
died  for  us."     To  the  Ephesians  he  says  ;  "  But  God, 
who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  the  great  love  wherewith  he 
loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quick- 
ened us  together  with  Christ."     Nothing  is  more  obvi- 
ous than  that  it  was  the  gracious  design  of  the  coming 
of  Christ,  and  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  dispensa- 
tion, to  save  sinners  from  their  sins,  purify  them  by  the 
spirit  of  grace,  and  reconcile  them   to  God.     But  how 
entirely  repugnant  to  all  this  is  the  opinion  to  which 
our  text,  is  usually  applied.     In  room  of  humbling  the 
proud,  and  bringing  sinners  to  repentance,  it  is  be- 
lieved that  God  will  exercise  unmerciful  wrath  on   his 
erring  offspring  to  all  eternity.     Though  the  text  car- 
ries not  the  least  intimation  of  any  such   thing  in  it, 
yet  so  fixed  is  this  notion,   by   the  force  of  tradition 
that  it  seems  almost  as  hard   to  dissuade  people  from 
it,  as  it  is  for  a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  nee- 
dle. 

That  we  may  understand  the  ways  of  God  with  the 
proud  and  them  who  do  wickedly,  it  may  be  proper  to 
notice  some  instances  which  are  recorded  for  our  in- 
struction.— That  of  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon 
will  not  be  considered  unappropriate.  Great  was  the 
pride  of  this  prince  and  great  was  his  wickedness. 
Notwithstanding  God  had  warned  him  in  a  dream 
which  Daniel  the  Prophet  expounded  to  him,  and  not- 
withstanding the  Prophet  most  affectionately  counsel- 
led him  to  break  off  his  sins  by  righteousness,  and  his 
iniquities  by  showing  mercy  to  the  poor  !  yet  such  was 
the  pride  of  his  wicked  heart,  that  it  seems  he  gave  no 
heed  to  these  kind  and  seasonable  monitions,  "  but  at 
the  end  of  twelve  months  he  walked  in  the  palace  of 
the  kingdom  of  Babylon.  The  king  spoke,  and  said 
9 


98  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

is  not  this  great  Babylon  that  I  have  built  for  the  house 
of  the  kingdom,  by  the   might  of  my  power,   and  for 
the  honor  of  my  majesty?     While  the  word  was  in  the 
king's  mouth  there  fell  a  voice  from  heaven  saying,  O 
king  Nebuchadnezzar,  to  thee  it  is  spoken  ;  the  king- . 
dom  is  departed   from  thee ;  and  they  shall  drive  thee 
from  men,  and  thy  dwelling  shall  be  with  the  beasts  of 
the  field  :  they  shall  make  thee  to  eat  grass  like  oxen, 
and  seven  times  shall  pass  over  thee,  until  thou  know 
that  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and 
giveth  it  to  whomsoever  he  will  "     All  this  God   ac- 
complished on  this  proud  monarch,  until  his  body  was 
wet  with  the  dew  of  heaven,  his  hairs  were  grown  like 
eagle's  feathers,  and  his  nails  like  birds  claws."     This 
humbled  his  heart,  returned  to  him  his  understanding, 
raised  his  eyes  to   heaven,  and  this   is  his  confession ; 
"  Now  I,  Nebuchadnezzar  praise,  and  extol,  and  honor 
the  King  of  heaven,  all  whose  works  are  truth,   and 
his  ways  judgment ;  and  those  that  walk  in  pride  he  is 
able  to  abase."     Was  every  child  of  Adam  a  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, and  every  heart  as  proud  as  his,  how  easy 
would  it  be  for  infinite  wisdom^,  power,  and  goodness 
to  humble  them  all  to  a  due  sense  of  their  dependence 
on  God.     Such  as  was  the  result  of  God's  dealings 
with  this  haughty  prince,  we  may  reasonably  suppose 
will  be  the  result  of  his  chastising  providence  on  "  all 
the  proud  and  all  them  that  do  wickedly"  for  "  those 
that  walk  in  pride  he  is  able  to  abase." 

Though  the  means  which  our  heavenly  Father  may 
use  with  his  disobedient  offspring  may  vary,  we  have 
no  reason  to  believe  that  his  designs  are  partial,  we 
have  no  evidence  to  support  the  notion  that  he  will 
humble  some  and  grant  them  mercy,  but  punish  oth- 
ers eternally. 

Another  particular  instance  of  God's  dealings  with 
one  who  did  extremely  wickedly  is  the  case  of  David 
king  of  Israel.  The  crimes  which  this  monarch  com- 
mitted being  pointed  out  to  him  in  the  faintest  simile 
which  their  nature  would  admit,  he  adjudged  the  crim- 
inal to  death — But  what  were  the  dealings  of  God  to- 
ward him?     He  was  visited  with  such  awful  calamities 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  99 

in  his  family  as  were  as  much  worse  than  death,  as  his 
crimes  were  more  heinous  than  the  one  represented  to 
him  by  the  prophet  Nathan,  for  which  he  said,  the 
man  that  hath  done  this  shall  surely  die.  But  was  Da- 
vid finally  rejected  from  the  favor  of  God  ? — No,  for 
he  sang  "  of  mercy  and  of  judgment,"  and  praised  God 
whom  he  acknowledged  to  be  his  salvation. 

It  surely  will  not  be  contended,  that  the  divine  Be- 
ing pays  any  peculiar  respect  to  kings,  by  dealing  with 
their  crimes  in  a  more  lenient  manner,  than  he  does 
with  the  crimes  of  others.  It  should  be  allowed  that 
the  higher  a  man's  station  is  in  society  the  greater 
his  criminality  if  he  use  his  power  contrary  to  his 
duty. 

If  then,  the  king  of  Israel  could  be  punished  here  in 
this  life,  according  to  the  offence  which  he  had  com- 
mitted, and  if  he  were  duly  humbled  and  received  in- 
to favor,  have  the  wicked  now  any  reason  to  expect 
to  escape  the  righteous  judgments  of  God  ?  And  have 
the  religious  any  reason  to  say,  that  God  will  never 
humble  the  wicked  and  receive  them  all  to  mercy? 
Was  every  child  of  Adam  a  murderous  David,  and 
had  sins  as  great  as  his,  stained  every  soul :  Yet  would 
every  humble,  penitent  believer  in  Jesus  say,  "  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world." 

It  is  allowed,  if  there  be  some  more  stiff-necked 
than  others,  and  harder  to  be  brought  into  humiliation, 
we  may  not  yet  have  mentioned  them  ;  but  we  shall 
find  them  in  the  case  of  the  pharisee.  He,  who  by 
the  mighty  power  of  grace  was  converted  from  a  spir- 
itually proud,  and  persecuting  pharisee,  to  a  humble, 
meek  disciple  of  Jesus,  whom  he  had  persecuted,  is 
such  a  trophy  of  divine  mercy,  we  now  hold  him  up 
before  you  all  as  an  example  of  God's  dealings  with 
all  the  proud  and  all  them  which  do  wickedly."  What 
does  St.  Paul  say  of  himself?  "  This  is  a  faithful  say- 
ing, and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus 
into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief. 
Howbeit,  for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me 
first  Jesus  Christ  might  shew  forth  all  long-suffering 


100  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

for  a  pattern  for  them  which  should  hereafter  believe 
on  him  to  life  everlasting."  Was  every  son  and 
daughter  of  human  nature  a  persecuting  Saul,  yet  there 
would  be  hope  that  they  might  all  be  brought  to  say, 
"  Lord,  what  wilt,  thou  have  me  to  do? — But  when  it 
pleased  him  who  separated  me  from  my  mother's  womb 
and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his  son  in  me, 
immediately  I  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood." 

Is  it  necessary  to  name  a  fourth  particular  instance, 
and  shall  it  be  selected  from  among  the  erring  daugh- 
ters of  Eve  ?  Consider  then  the  case  of  Mary  Magda- 
lene out  of  whom  the  bruiser  of  the  serpent's  head 
cast  seven  devils.  Was  every  man,  woman  and  child 
in  the  world  as  possessed  as  was  this  woman,  who  was 
a  sinner,  yet  might  the  grace  of  the  Redeemer  bring 
them  all  to  wash  his  feet  with  the  tears  of  penitence, 
and  annoint  him  with  the  precious  ointment  of  much 
love  and  humble  gratitude. 

A  hope  is  entertained  that  the  hearer  will  not  be 
disposed  to  say,  if  all  this  be  true  we  may  indulge  in 
every  sin  and  abomination.  Of  the  whole  seven  that 
were  cast  out,  this  argument  is  the  worst.  This  is  in- 
gratitude the  basest  of  all  the  serpent  tribe. 

Did  the  king  of  Babylon  find  by  experience  that  be- 
cause God  was  able  to  abase  those  who  walk  in  pride , 
it  was  therefore  as  well  tc  walk  in  pride  as  to  be  hum 
ble  ?  Did  David  find  by  experience,  that  sin  against 
God  and  his  fellow  creatures  was  attended  with  no 
evil  ?  Must  sin  be  rolled  as  a  sweet  morsel  under  the 
tongue  ?  Must  a  guilty  conscience  be  esteemed  as  a 
friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother?  Our  argu- 
ment to  prove  the  doctrine  of  the  impartial  goodness  of 
God  towards  all  men,  does  in  no  sense  deny  his  divine 
severity  toward  the  wicked. 

By  understanding  our  text  in  the  way  we  have  ex- 
plained it,  we  discover  its  harmony  with  other  passa- 
ges where  similar  language  is  used ;  we  also  see  its 
agreement  with  the  united  testimony  of  scripture  re- 
specting the  divine  will  and  purpose  concerning  the 
reconciliation  and  salvation  of  sinners. 

But  in  the  common  way  of  understanding  this  pas- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  101 

sage,  it  is  made  to  contradict  the  whole  scheme  of  the 
gospel,  and  to  represent  every  subject  of  divine  grace 
as  an  object  of  never  ending  wrath. — Such  absurdities 
are  constantly  reiterated  from  our  pulpits,  and  in  al- 
most all  sermons  the  glaring  contradiction  is  urged  on 
the  hearers,  that  sinners,  are  the  objects  of  divine  love, 
and  eternal  vengeance ;  that  Jesus  came  into  our 
world  for  the  express  purpose  of  saving  sinners,  and 
that  sinners  must  be  endlessly  miserable.  There  can 
be  no  wonder  that  the  common  people  are  getting  to 
be  weary  of  such  preaching,  nor  is  there  any  just  rea- 
son of  complaint  if  attempts  are  making  to  effect  a  re- 
formation. 

Not  only  is  it  our  duty  to  endeavor  to  explain  par- 
ticular passages  in  a  way  to  bring  them  into  the  ge- 
neral theme  of  the  scriptures,  but  due  attention 
should  be  paid  to  understand  the  scriptures  in  a  way 
to  agree  with  the  disposition  and  conduct  which  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ  requires.  Suppose  then,  that 
we  adopt  the  common  opinion  of  our  text,  and  con- 
tend that  the  Holy  Ghost  moved  the  Prophet  to  set 
forth  the  endless  misery  of  "  all  the  proud  and  all  them 
that  do  wickedly,"  in  the  language  of  this  passage, 
will  it  then  be  easy  to  reconcile  this  with  the  disposi- 
tion which  our  religion  requires  us  to  exercise  toward 
our  enemies,  and  with  our  duty  to  mankind  ?  Can  we 
see  the  propriety  of  loving  those  who  we  believe  are 
the  objects  of  the  unmerciful  vengeance  of  our  Creator 
of  praying  for  those  who  we  believe  are  predestinated 
to  endless  suffering  ? 

But  if  we  understand  our  text  and  the  scriptures  in 
general  to  teach  the  doctrine  of  reconciliation,  and  to 
support  the  joy  inspiring  belief  that  he,  who  gave  him- 
self a  ransom  for  all  men,  will  finally  see  of  the  travail 
of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied  ;  that  he  who  sets  a  refiner 
and  purifier  of  silver,  will  eventually  purify  the  wicked 
from  all  sin,  humble  the  proud,  and  give  all  to  know 
the  Lord,  whom  to  know  is  life  eternal,  it  seems  that 
-  the  christian  duty  of  loving  all  men,  doing  good  to  all 
men,  and  praying  for  all  men  is  perfectly  consistent 
with  such  a  belief. 
9* 


102  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

There  is  another  particular  rule  according  to  which 
particular  passages,  and  indeed  the  scriptures  in  gen- 
eral should  be  explained  ;  that  is,  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth  gives  joy  to  the  heart.  St.  Paul  informs  us, 
that  "  charity  rejoiceth  in  the  truth."  It  is  then  an 
evidence  that  we  rightly  understand  the  scripture,  if 
the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  can  rejoice  in 
the  sentiment.  This  christian  audience  is  now  affec- 
tionately called  on  to  try  the  sentiment  usually  sup- 
ported by  the  text  under  consideration,  by  the  rule  last 
suggested.  If  you  can  truly  say  that  you  sincerely 
love  all  mankind,  that  you  entertain  that  charity  for  all 
which  suffereth  long  and  is  kind,  can  you  say  that  you 
rejoice  in  the  belief,  that  millions  of  your  fellow  crea- 
tures are  predestinated  to  endless  sufferings  ?  This 
you  all  acknowledge  is  impossible.  How  then  can 
God,  who  is  love  itself,  ordain  a  dispensation  of  sever- 
ity, the  design  of  which  is  to  perpetuate  the  sufferings 
of  his  own  offspring  as  long  as  he  shall  exist? 

My  bretheren,  "  there  is  peace  in  believing  and  joy 
in  the  Holy  Ghost."  But  is  there  any  peace  or  joy  in 
believing  in  this  doctrine  of  never-ending  misery? 
There  surely  is  not.  But  if  we  really  believe  in  the 
divine  testimony,  which  plainly  shows  that  it  is  the 
plan  of  God,  manifested  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  finish  sin 
and  to  make  an  end  of  transgressions,  to  take  away 
our  sins,  to  reconcile  the  world  to  himself;  and  that 
all  his  judgments  and  his  mercies  are  wisely  directed 
to  effect  this  blessed  object,  we  can  "  rejoice  with  joy 
unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory."  But  while  we  rejoice 
in  the  consoling  belief,  that  all  the  judgments  of  God 
will  finally  eventuate  in  the  reduction  of  "  all  the  proud 
and  all  them  that  do  wickedly"  to  obedience,  let  us  be 
wise  for  ourselves,  and  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  our 
Saviour,  by  doing  justly,  loving  mercy  and  walking 
humbly  before  God. 


LECTURE    VIII. 

THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH,    AN  ILLUSTRATION    OF    THE  HIS- 
TORY of  Christ's  kingdom. 

* 

DEUTERONOMY,  xxxiii,  16,  17. 

Let  the  blessing  come  upon  the  head  of  Joseph,  and  upon  the  top  of  the 
head  of  him  that  was  separated  from  his  brethren.  His  glory  is  like  the 
firstling  of  his  bullock,  and  his  horns  are  like  the  horns  of  unicorns:  with 
them  he  shall  push  the  people  together  to  the  ends  of  the  earth :  and  they  are 
the  ten  thousands  of  Ephraim,  and  they  are  the  thousands  of  Manasseh. 

The  events  which  the  divine  historian  has  recorded, 
respecting  Joseph  the  son  of  the  patriarch  Jacob,  form 
a  subject  remarkably  instructing  to  every  attentive  ob- 
server. 

The  treatment  he  received  from  his  brethren  was  of 
such  a  peculiar  cast,  that  Moses  the  prophet  of  the 
Lord,  more  than  four  hundred  years  afterward,  in  the 
blessing  pronounced  on  his  family,  makes  the  honora- 
ble mention  of  his  being  separated  from  his  brethren 
which  we  find  in  our  text. 

This  memorable  separation,  the  causes  which  occa- 
sioned it,  the  circumstances  which  attended  it ;  the 
wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  manifested  by  it  and  the 
rich  blessings  which  finally  came  on  him  in  conse- 
quence of  his  having  been  separated  from  his  brethren, 
will  form  matter  for  the  first  general  section  of  the 
present  discourse. 

Moved  with  envy,  Joseph's  brethren  sold  him  to  the 
Ishmaelites,  who  were  going  from  Gilead  with  spies 
into  Egypt,  where  Joseph  was  again  sold  for  a  bond 
slave.  The  causes  which  seemed  to  occasion  this 
deadly  envy  were  the  following.  Joseph  was  the  son 
of  his  fathers  old  age,  and  until  about  the  time  of  his 
being  sold,  the  only  child  of  the  beloved  Rachael.  It 
seems  rather  difficult  to  determine  whether  Benjamin 


104  BALLOU    S    LECTURES. 

was  born,  or  not  at  this  time.  The  faithful  historian 
informs  us,  that  "  Israel  loved  Joseph  more  than  all  his 
children,  because  he  was  the  son  of  his  old  age."  By 
this  it  would  rather  seem  that  Benjamin  was  not  born, 
for  he  was  more  especially  the  son  of  Jacob's  old  age 
than  Joseph.  But  the  scripture  chronology  supposes 
that  Benjamin  was  born,  and  of  course,  that  Rachael 
died  in  the  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  twenty 
,  ninth  year  before  Christ,  and  that  Joseph  was  sold  the 
\  same  year.  Such  is  the  nature  of  partiality,  it  seldom 
avoids  being  seen.  It  was  so  visible  in  Jacob's  con- 
duct, that  it  created  an  unhappy  jealousy  in  the  minds 
of  the  rest  of  the  family,  so  that  they  "  hated  Joseph, 
and  could  not  speak  peaceably  unto  him." 

Nor  was  this  parental  partiality  the  only  occasion  of 
that  cruel  envy  which  moved  Joseph's  brethren  against 
him  ;  for  we  are  informed  that  heaven  inspired  him 
with  two  remarkable  dreams,  which  evidently  suggest- 
ed the  idea  of  his  future  superiority  over  them,  and 
their  bowing  down  to  him  as  a  superior.  An  envious 
mind  is  always  in  the  dark.  Had  these  brethren  been 
wise,  they  would  have  seen  no  occasion  to  be  angry  at 
their  brother.  If  their  father  was  imprudent  enough  to 
indulge  an  improper  partiality  in  favor  of  the  son  of 
his  old  age,  it  was  far  from  right  to  hate  the  son  for 
the  fault  of  the  father.  If  they  supposed  the  dreams 
which  their  brother  told  were  not  divinely  dictated, 
but  were  either  the  fruits  of  vain  imaginations,  or  only 
contrived  up  in  order  to  deceive,  they  might  have  sa- 
ved themselves  any  trouble  by  being  content  to  wait 
with  patience  until  time  should  show  the  folly  of  all 
such  vain  attempts  or  imaginations. — But  their  hearts 
were  not  right ;  they  therefore  took  the  wrong  way, 
the  broad  road  that  leads  to  destruction. 

Full  of  burning,  envy  and  indignation  these  breth- 
ren left  the  family  circle,  the  sacred  tent  of  venerable 
Israel,  in  the  vale  of  Hebron,  and  went  to  feed  their 
father's  flock  at  Shechem. 

Notwithstanding  Jacob  felt  a  partiality  for  Joseph , 
he  was  by  no  means  unmindful  of  his  other  children 
He  felt  a  solicitous  concern  for  the  welfare  of  his  ab 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  105 

sent  sons,  and  proposed  to  Joseph  that  he  should  go 
to  Shechem  to  inquire  for  his  brethren's  health  and 
prosperity.  The  tender  unsuspicious  youth  was  as 
ready  to  obey  as  the  father  was  to  command.  With- 
out the  least  hesitation  or  suspicion  he  sat  off  on  this 
errand  of  love.  Little  did  the  venerable  patriarch 
think  what  treatment  awaited  the  darling  of  his  heart ; 
little  did  he  then  think  of  the  sorrows  which  were  to 
overwhelm  his  soul.  Little  did  the  tender  child  antici- 
pate the  cruel  sufferings  which  were  to  reward  his  fil- 
ial obedience  and  fraternal  affection.  Little  did  he 
think,  when  he  parted  with  his  father  in  the  lovely  vale 
of  Hebron,  that  he  should  see  him  no  more  till  he 
should  embrace  him  in  a  strange  land,  where  he  should 
be  a  father  to  his  father,  and  the  lord  and  support  of 
his  brethren. 

When  he  came  to  Shechem  he  was  informed  that 
his  brethren  had  removed  to  Dothan  where  he  immedi- 
ately repaired  and  found  them.  But  here  in  room  of 
meeting  the  friendly  eye  and  the  affectionate  smile, 
and  being  kindly  welcomed  to  peaceful  tents  of  hum- 
ble shepherds,  he  beholds  the  eye  of  anger  kindled  with 
envy,  the  clouded  brow  of  wrath  foreboding  an  awful 
storm,  the  dread  image  of  hate  drawn  in  each  visage. 
In  vain  does  he  turn  his  innocent  eye  from  one  to  an- 
other in  search  of  a  kind  protector.  He  is  violently 
seized,  stripped  of  his  coat  of  many  colors  and  cast  in- 
to a  pit  that  was  in  the  wilderness.  This  done  these 
unnatural  brethren  sat  down  to  eat  bread. 

Here  we  may  observe  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God  in  making  use  of  one  sinful  passion  to  control  an- 
other so  as  to  cause  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him, 
and  to  restrain  the  remainder.  Divine  providence  so 
ordered,  that  at  this  hour  the  travelling  merchants  from 
Gilead  arrived  at  this  place,  which  suggested  the  idea 
of  selling  Joseph.  These  murderous  brethren  had 
formed  the  determination,  in  the  first  place,  to  take 
his  life  outright ;  but  Reuben  wishing  to  deliver  him 
out  of  their  hands  proposed  to  cast  him  into  the  pit, 
where  their  determination  was  to  let  him  die.  But 
now  avarice  gains  so  much  on  anger,  as  by  promising 


106  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

to  rid  tliem  forever  of  their  fear  of  becoming  at  all  de- 
pendent on  Joseph,  that  they  consent  to  sell  him  for 
twenty  pieces  of  silver.  To  attempt  to  describe  the 
feelings  of  Joseph  on  this  trying  occasion  would  be  in 
vain.  Poor  solitary  youth,  not  an  earthly  friend  in  the 
wide  world  that  could  extend  to  him  the  arm  of  deliv- 
erance, or  even  speak  one  consoling  word.  ;(  Separa- 
ted from  his  brethren  he  now  moves  along  with  his  un- 
feeling masters,  but  with  what  reluctant  steps.  No 
doubt  he  casts  a  lingering  eye  of  compassion  on  his 
persecutors,  and  how  hard  was  the  thought  that  he 
should  see  them  no  more.  With  what  painful  reflec- 
tions did  his  thoughts  return  to  the  parental  tent  in  the 
lovely  vale  of  Hebron,  how  did  his  bosom  swell  with 
grief  when  the  pangs  of  everlasting  adieu  to  the  sa- 
cred circle  of  home,  country  and  liberty  pierced  his 
tortured  soul  ?  But  with  his  brethren  were  very  dif- 
ferent reflections.  They  had  fortunately  sold  their  fears 
for  twenty  pieces  of  silver.  As  the  object  of  their  en- 
vy receded  from  their  sight,  they  sought  repose  in  a 
refuge  of  lies  and  deceit.  They  now  felt  secure  from 
the  humiliating  thought  of  ever  bowing  down  to  their 
brother  or  of  seeing  their  father's  fondness  exercised  over 
the  child  of  his  old  age.  They  now  rend  the  coat  of 
many  colors,  dip  it  in  blood  and  carry  it  to  their  fath- 
er. He  knows  the  garment,  and  exclaims  ;  "  it  is  my 
son's  coat ;  an  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him  ;  Joseph 
is  without  doubt  rent  in  pieces."  He  mourns  the  un- 
timely death  of  his  son,  determined  to  refuse  all  com- 
fort, and  to  go  down  to  the  grave  to  his  son  mourn- 
ing. 

Let  us  now  notice  the  remarkable  instances  of  the 
wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  manifested  in  all  this  sin- 
ful, disasterous  conduct  of  the  cruel  sons  of  Israel,  and 
in  the  partiality  of  the  over  fond  father. 

According  to  rational  calculation,  we  may  suppose, 
that  if  the  father  of  this  family  had  preserved  an  impar- 
tial regard  for  his  children,  it  would  have  been  the 
means  of  lengthening  its  tranquility.  If  Joseph  had 
not  dreamed  and  told  the  dreams  which  served  to  kin- 
dle the  fire  of  envy  in  his  brethren's  hearts,  it  seems 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  107 

reasonable  to  suppose  that  they  might  all  have  lived 
harmoniously  and  in  peace.  But  how  evident  it  is 
that  God  overruled  all  these  circumstances  and  events 
for  the  good  of  all  concerned.  How  evident  it  is  that 
the  divine  wisdom  had  the  directing  of  all  these  affairs. 
Joseph  is  now  safe  in  Egypt  the  country  of  his  future 
glory,  excellency  and  usefulness,  but  a  bond  slave,  a 
menial  servant.  Who  could  believe  that  this  degra- 
ded condition  lay  on  his  road  to  fame  ?  But  now  con- 
sider him  accused  by  his  mistress  of  an  infamous  crime, 
consider  him  cast  into  prison.  Here  again  the  crim- 
inality and  deceit  of  his  accuser  is  all  controled  by 
heaven  for  the  honor  of  God,  the  good  of  millions, 
the  exaltation  of  the  innocent  sufferer  and  the  celebra- 
tion of  ages. 

Into  the  same  prison  where  Joseph  was  bound,  the 
king  cast  his  chief  butler  and  chief  baker,  whose 
dreams  Joseph  interpreted  agreeably  to  the  final  ver- 
dict of  his  majesty.  But  the  chief  butler,  contrary  to 
the  request  of  injured  Joseph,  was  so  elated  with  be- 
ins  again  restored  to  favor  and  office,  that  he  forgot 
the  young  prisoner  who  for  two  full  years  more  lay  in 
the  prison,  until  the  dreams  of  Pharaoh  brought  him 
to  the  butler's  recollection.  It  was  about  fourteen 
years  from  the  time  Joseph  left  the  sweet  and  tranquil 
habitation  of  his  beloved  father  to  the  time  he  was 
brought  out  of  prison  in  Egypt,  to  stand  before 
his  majesty  the  king,  to  interpret  those  remarkable 
dreams  by  which  he  was  warned  of  seven  years  of 
great  plenty,  which  should  be  followed  with  seven 
more  of  famine.  The  wisdom  which  appeared  in  this 
long  afflicted  Hebrew  brought  him  into  favor  with 
Pharaoh,  who  appointed  him  to  be  over  his  own  house 
and  to  rule  his  people  according  to  his  will. 

During  the  seven  years  of  plenty  Joseph  used  such 
prudence  and  economy  as  to  lay  up  vast  quanties  of 
corn  in  store  against  the  long  and  severe  famine  which 
he  foresaw  would  visit  the  land. 

When  the  dearth  came  it  was  not  confined  to  Egypt 
but  extended  over  all  the  face  of  the  earth,  so  that  all 
countries  were  dependent  on  Egypt  for  bread.     The 


108  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

famine  was  sore  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  pale  hun- 
ger began  to  threaten  the  extensive  household  of  Ja- 
cob and  his  sons.  Jacob  therefore  said  to  his  sons  ; 
"  Why  do  you  look  one  upon  ano'ther  ?  I  have  heard 
that  there  is  corn  in  Egypt :  get  you  down  thither,  and 
buy  for  us  from  thence ;  that  we  may  live  and  not 
die."  They  came  into  Egypt  and  into  the  presence 
of  Joseph  ;  but  he  was  so  altered  in  the  space  of  about 
twenty  one  years,  or  perhaps  more,  and  as  they  had 
no  thought  of  seeing  him  at  all,  and  especially  no  ex- 
pectation of  finding  him  the  lord  of  all  the  land  of 
Egypt,  they  did  not  know  him.  When  they  came  be- 
fore him,  "  they  bowed  down  themselves  before  him  with 
their  faces  to  the  earth."  Joseph  knew  his  brethren  ; 
they  were  men  who  had  attained  to  years  before  he 
was  separated  from  them,  and  had  not  altered  so  much 
but  he  knew  them.  He  now  saw  his  first  dream  ful- 
filled. All  his  brethren  who  were  envious  towards 
him,  he  now  sees  on  their  faces  before  him.  He  treat- 
ed them  roughly,  not  because  revenge  was  in  his  heart, 
but  to  try  them.  He  retained  Simeon  until  the  rest 
should  return  to  the  relief  of  their  families,  and  bring 
Benjamin  down  to  Egypt.  They  then  conversed 
among  themselves,  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  which  they 
supposed  Joseph  did  not  understand,  of  their  sin 
against  their  brother,  and  were  satisfied  that  they  were 
visited  with  evil  for  their  iniquity.  Joseph  understood 
all  they  said,  and  was  greatly  moved  with  compassion. 
After  many  trials  and  sore  difficulties,  at  the  second 
time,  when  all  the  sons  of  Israel  were  together,  and 
Joseph  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  his  brother  Benja- 
min, perhaps  for  the  first  time,  he  made  himself  known 
to  them.  He  could  no  longer  contain  himself;  he 
wept  aloud  and  said  unto  his  brethren,  "  I  am  Joseph  ; 
doth  my  father  yet  live  ?  And  his  brethren  could  not 
answer  him  ;  for  they  were  troubled  at  his  presence. 
And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  come  near  to  me 
I  pray  you :  and  they  came  near.  And  he  said  I 
am  Joseph  your  brother,  whom  ye  sold  into  Egypt. 
Now  therefore,  be  not  grieved,  nor  angry  with  your- 
selves, that  ye  sold  me  hither ;  for  God  did  send  me 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  109 

before  you  to  preserve  life. And  he  fell  upon  his  bro- 
ther Benjamin's  neck,  and  wept ;  and  Benjamin  wept 
upon  his  neck.  Moreover  he  kissed  all  his  brethren 
and  wept  upon  them:  and  after  that  his  brethren 
talked  with  him." 

As  the  hearer  is  familiar  with  the  account  of  this 
most  interesting  subject,  we  may  not  be  further  par- 
ticular. It  is  recollected  that  the  whole  family  came 
down  to  Egypt  and  were  nursed  by  Joseph  and  sup- 
ported by  his  bounty.  Now  was  his  second  dream  ac- 
complished. 

Let  us  notice  in  this  place,  the  words  of  Joseph  be- 
fore recited  ;  "  God  did  send  me  before  you  to  pre- 
serve life."  Is  it  not  evident,  my  brethren,  that  the 
infinitely  wise,  powerful,  and  good  God  made  use  of 
the  partial  fondness  of  Jacob  as  a  means  to  move  Jo- 
seph's brethren  against  him  ?  Is  it  not  evident  that 
the  same  divine  Being  inspired  Joseph  with  the  two 
dreams  which  represented  his  brethren's  submission  to 
him,  and  also  that,  of  their  father  and  mother,  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  about  the  event  of  Joseph's  being 
sold  into  Egypt  ?  Is  it  not  clear  beyond  all  doubt, 
that  all  the  wickedness,  envy,  hard  hearted ness,  and 
deceit  of  which  the  ten  brethren  were  guilty  was  con- 
trolled by  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  in  a  man- 
ner to  promote  the  highest  honor  of  the  divine  name, 
and  the  best  interest  of  those  most  perverse  and  wick- 
ed men  ?  And  must  it  not  be  gratefully  acknowledged, 
that  all  the  afflictions  which  came  on  Jacob  and  his 
family,  and  the  afflictions  of  Joseph  were  designed  by 
our  heavenly  Father,  for  the  good  of  all  these  sufferers  ? 
It  seems  necessary  to  call  the  attention  of  the  hearer 
to  the  consideration  of  the  following  questions  :  Does 
the  argument  which  we  here  maintain  give  to  the  di- 
vine Being  a  good  character  ?  Is  it  safe  to  have  so 
much  confidence  in  God  as  to  believe,  that  he  mana- 
ges all  the  concerns  of  men  in  a  way  to  promote  their 
best  interest?  Is  God  so  transcendantly  kind  as  to 
turn  our  own  faults  to  our  advantage  ?  Or  will  you 
say,  that  this  doctrine  is  not  only  too  good  to  be  true, 
but  of  dangerous  tendency,  as  it  lays  no  restraint  on 
10 


110  BALLOU'S  LECTURES. 

men,  but  promises  them  good  for  their  evil?  Reply: 
[s  this  doctrine  any  better  than  was  the  conduct  of 
God  towards  these  envious  brethren  who  sold  Joseph  ? 
And  did  not  these  brethren  experience  a  most  just  and 
ample  retribution  for  their  sins,  before  thev  entered  into 
the  enjoyment  of  the  divine  favor  which  was  brought 
about  by  means  of  their  folly  ?  Is  not  this  doctrine 
exactly  what  the  gospel  holds  up  and  requires  ?  Are 
^  we  not  forbidden  to  render  evil  for  evil  ?  And  are  we 
not  commanded  to  render  good  for  evil  ?  "Be  not 
overcome  of  evil ;  but  overcome  evil  with  good."  The 
blessing  that  came  on  Joseph  seems  to  have  been,  in 
all  respects,  what  his  sufferings  seemed  to  deserve,  as 
ample  as  his  love,  and  as  extensive  as  his  reasonable 
desires.  To  have  it  in  his  power  to  reward  his  breth- 
ren with  all  the  favor  which  their  necessities  required 
for  all  the  evil  he  had  received  at  their  hands,  to  make 
every  necessary  provision  for  his  aged  father  and  the 
whole  of  his  numerous  family,  from  which  he  had 
been  so  long  separated,  and  of  supplying  many 
countries  with  bread  during  a  famine  which  must  have 
swept  off  thousands  of  innocent  children  with  vast  mul- 
titudes of  others,  had  it  not  been  for  the  treasures 
which  were  laid  up  by  his  wisdom  and  liberally  dis- 
pensed by  his  goodress,  seems  to  have  been  as  large 
and  as  rich  a  blessing  as  could  be  desired. 

To  show,  by  the  language  of  our  text,  that  Moses 
had  a  meaning  in  view,  beyond  what  respected  the 
literality  of  the  subject,  and  to  apply  our  text  to  Jesus, 
who  was  separated  from  his  brethren,  forms  the  second 
general  section  of  this  discourse. 

"  His  glory  is  like  the  firstling  of  his  bullock,  and 
his  horns  are  like  the  horns  of  unicorns  :  with  them 
shall  he  push  the  people  together  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  :  and  they  are  the  ten  thousands  of  Ephraim,  and 
they  are  the  thousands  of  Manasseh." 

The  firstling  of  cattle  is  similar  to  the  first  born 
among  men.  The  first  born  of  a  family  possessed,  by 
birth  right,  a  privilege  over  the  younger,  as  in  the  case 
of  Esau  and  Jacob.  The  first  born  seemed  to  have 
a  power  of  ruling,  and  of  having  the  younger  branches 


BALLOU'5    LECTURES.  Ill 

of  the  family  in  subjection.  The  first  born  was  also 
considered  holy  unto  God,  as  were  the  first  fruits  of  the 
field  ;  and  the  holiness  of  the  firstborn,  and  of  the  first 
fruits  was  the  holiness  of  all  whieh  were  represented 
by  them.  This  part  of  the  text,  which  relates  to 
the  firstling  of  the  bullock,  may  very  fitly  be  applied 
to  Joseph  as  well  as  Jesus,  who  is  styled  the  "  first 
born  among  many  brethren,  the  first  born  from  the 
dead,  and  the  first  born   of  every  creature." 

Joseph  seems  to  have  obtained  the  birth  right  of  the 
first  born  by  a  divine  arrangement,  whereby  he  became 
the  governor  and  ruler  of  his  numerous  family,  though 
it  is  true  Joseph  was  literally  the  first  born  of  the  be- 
loved Rachel.  His  glory  answered  to  his  birth  right, 
for  we  see  him  the  ruler  and  kind  father  of  his  brethren. 

But  why  should  Moses  say ;  "  his  horns  are  as  the 
horns  of  unicorns:  with  them  he  shall  push  the  peo- 
ple together  to  the  ends  of  the  earth :  and  they  are  the 
ten  thousands  of  Ephraim,  and  they  are  the  thousands 
of  Manasseh  ? "  By  horns,  no  doubt  power  was  in- 
tended. But  how  shall  the  power  of  Joseph  push  the 
people  together  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  ?  And  how 
is  it  that  all  people  thus  united  are  the  ten  thousands, 
and  thousands,  of  the  two  sons  of  Joseph  ? 

This  language  and  these  sentiments  are  supposed  to 
apply  to  Jesus  in  the  following  manner.  As  the  horns 
of  unicorns  are  the  most  powerful  among  beasts,  they 
are  used  to  represent  the  power  of  the  Saviour.  And 
as  it  is  said,  "  with  them  shall  he  push  the  people  to- 
gether to  the  ends  of  the  earth,"  it  means  the  same  as 
was  expressed  by  Jacob  concerning  the  Shiloh  unto 
whom  the  gathering  of  the  people  should  be ;  and  the 
same  as  expressed  by  Jesus  himself,  when  he  said, 
"  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth  will  draw  all 
men  unto  me."  The  same  is  expressed  by  St.  Paul 
to  the  Ephesians  as  follows ;  "  Having  made  known 
unto  us  the  majesty  of  his  will  according  to  his  good 
pleasure,  which  he  hath  purposed  in  himself:  that  in 
the  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times,  he  might  gath- 
er together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which 
are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth  ;  even  in  him 


112  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

Jews  and  Gentiles  thus  gathered  into  Jesus  are  said 
to  be  the  ten  thousands  of  Ephraim  and  the  thousands 
of  Manasseh.  The  two  sons  of  Joseph  are  here  used 
to  represent  the  two  families,  Jews  and  Gentiles,  which 
in  their  fullness,  are  the  children  of  the  'everlasting 
Father  and  Prince  of  peace." 

When  Jacob  blessed  the  two  sons  of  Joseph,  being 
blind,  Joseph  was  careful  to  present  Manasseh,  the 
first  born,  to  Jacob's  right  hand  and  Ephraim,  the 
younger,  to  his  left,  that  the  first  born  might  receive 
the  appropriate  blessing  which  belonged  to  his  birth 
right  ;  but  Jacob  wittingly  crossed  his  hands  and  laid 
his  right  hand  on  the  head  of  Ephraim  and  his  left  on 
the  head  of  Manasseh.  At  this,  Joseph  endeavored 
to  remove  his  father's  hands,  and  informed  him  that 
his  left  hand  was  on  the  head  of  the  first  born ;  to 
which  he  replied  ;  "  I  know  it,  my  son,  I  know  it ; 
he  also  shall  become  a  people,  and  he  also  shall 
be  great ;  but  truly  his  younger  brother  shall  be  great- 
er than  he,  and  his  seed  shall  become  a  multitude  of 
nations."  Thus  Moses  in  our  text,  when  expressing, 
the  multitudes  of  Gentiles  and  Jews,  in  Christ  Jesus, 
says :  "  They  are  the  ten  thousands  of  Ephraim,  and 
they  are  the  thousands  of  Manasseh."  The  Jews 
were  first  reckoned  the  children  of  God,  and  Israel  is 
called  God's  first  born  ;  but  the  first  are  last  and  the  last 
first.  The  Gentiles  take  the  lead  in  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation, for  not  until  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  is  come 
in  will  the  deliverer  come  out  of  Zion  and  turn  away 
ungodliness  from  Jacob. 

In  considering  Joseph  and  the  things  concerning  him 
as  applicable  to  Jesus  and  his  ministry  we  find  an  ex- 
tensive field  opened  before  us,  a  field  fruitful  as  a  gar- 
den, in  all  the  most  beautiful  flowers  of  divine  represen- 
tations, and  in  the  fruits  of  grace. 

The  visions  of  the  holy  prophets,  in  which  they  saw 
the  extensive  empire  of  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  the 
subjection  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  to  his  divine 
and  glorious  government,  seem  to  be  represented  by 
the  dreams  of  Joseph,  which  served  to  kindle  his  breth- 
ren's hearts  with  envy.  The  declaration  from  heaven, 
which  designated  Jesus  as  the  beloved  Son  of  God  in 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  113 

• 

whom  the  Father  is  well  pleased,  seems  to  be  repre- 
sented by  Jacob's  love  for  Joseph, — How  angry  it  made 
the  scribes,  the  pharisees,  the  priests  and  the  doctors  of 
the  law,  that  Jesus  should  pretend  to  be  the  Son  of 
God.  A  man  by  no  means  of  their  standing ;  why 
should  he  pretend  to  be  the  king  of  israel  ?  they 
were  as  determined  not  to  have  this  man  to  rule 
over  them  as  Joseph's  brethren  were  that  he  should 
not  rule  over  them.  As  Joseph  was  separated  from 
his  brethren,  so  was  Jesus  separated  from  his ;  as  Jo- 
seph was  sold  for  money,  so  was  Jesus;  as  Joseph  was 
the  gracious  saviour  of  the  whole  family  of  promise,  so 
is  Jesus  the  Saviour  of  the  whole  family  "  of  heaven 
and  earth." 

My  brethren,  look,  see  the  future  saviour  of  the  fam- 
ily of  Israel,  leaving  his  brethren  in  Dothan  to  go  down 
to  Egypt  a  slave,  to  see  them  no  more  until  he  sees 
them  as  his  humble  subjects,  and  is  acknowledged 
their  lord  and  protector;  then  look  again  and  see  the 
blessed  Jesus,  bearing  his  cross,  going  bound  to  Cal- 
vary, separated  from  his  brethren  and  from  all  the  liv- 
ing, to  see  them  not  again  until  in  a  glorious  resurrec- 
tion state,  he  appears  "the  Lord  from  heaven." 

Let  us  here  talk  freely  on  the  grace  and  plan  of  sal- 
vation by  Jesus  Christ,  as  represented  by  the  temporal 
salvation  wrought  by  Joseph.  Joseph  was  appointed 
by  heaven  to  be  the  saviour  of  all  his  father's  house. 
He  was  in  fact  the  saviour  of  his  brethren  before  they 
knew  him  in  Egypt.  He  had  treasured  up  a  supply 
of  bread  during  the  seven  years  of  plenty  for  thous- 
ands who  were  not  then  born.  He  was  the  saviour 
of  vast  multitudes,  by  the  merciful  appointment  of 
heaven,  who  were  strangers  to  him,  and  who  knew  him 
not.  All  the  time  before  his  brethren  came  to  Egypt, 
Joseph  was  the  appointed  saviour  of  them  and  of  their 
little  ones.  It  was  just  as  certain  that  they  would  all 
partake  of  the  rich  bounties  of  Joseph,  even  before  the 
famine  commenced  as  it  was  after  they  were  all  remov- 
ed into  the  land  of  Goshen. 

Now  what  reasonable  objection  can  there  be  to  the 
sentiment,  that  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  scheme  of 
10* 


114  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

man's  spiritual  salvation  "  is  ordered  in  all  things," 
and  rendered  as  sure  as  the  temporal  salvation  of  the 
house  of  Israel  was  in  the  scheme  which  we  have  no- 
ticed ? 

Joseph's  brethren  did  not  believe  that  they,  their 
wives  and  their  little  ones  were  all  to  be  fed  from  the 
bounty  of  him  whom  they  had  so  cruelly  treated  and 
sold  into  Egypt.  But  what  power  had  their  ignorance 
and  unbelief  to  frustrate  the  divine  plan  in  which  their 
welfare  was  secured  ?  It  is  true,  they  could  not  enjoy 
a  confidence  in  their  brother  until  they  knew  him  and 
were  assured  of  his  forgiveness ;  but  he  was  as  truly 
their  brother  and  friend  during  their  ignorance  and  un- 
belief as  he  was  after  he  had  made  himself  known  to 
them.  Is  it  not  equally  true,  that  Jesus  is  the  sin- 
ner's friend  and  Saviour  as  truly  during  the  season  of 
ignorance  and  unbelief  as  he  is  after  faith  is  given  ? 

The  name  of  Joseph  in  Egypt  was  synonymous  with 
bread,  it  was  synonymous  with  life ;  and  in  no  other 
name  was  there  any  confidence.  All  power  in  Egypt 
was  committed  into  the  hands  of  Joseph,  there  was  no 
other  name  given  whereby  the  life  of  the  people  could 
be  saved.  Is  not  all  this  true  in  spirit  respecting  the 
name  of  Jesus,  is  it  not  synonymous  with  Saviour? 
Is  not  this  the  bread  of  God  which  came  down  from 
heaven,  and  gave  life  to  the  world  ? 

In  his  wise  and  gracious  appointment,  the  God  of 
heaven  gave  life  to  millions  in  Joseph  before  they  were 
born ;  "and  this  is  the  record  that  God  hath  given  un- 
to us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  This 
life  was  the  life  of  the  wrorld  from  the  beginning. 
This  was  our  life  before  we  came  into  this  world,  and 
the  unborn  ages  to  come  are  equally  entitled  to  all  its 
blessings. 

The  envy,  the  hatred,  the  deadly  enmity  of  Joseph's 
brethren  towards  him,  could  do  no  more  than  was  ne- 
cessary to  promote  his  glory  and  advance  him  in  the 
way  of  the  divine  appointment.  So  all  the  cruel  en- 
vy, hatred  and  persecution  practised  on  the  blessed 
Jesus,  by  his  enemies,  only  advanced  him  towards  that 
glory  that  during  eternal  ages  will  continue  to  brighten 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  115 

and  beautify  the  rational  creation  of  God.  As  we  may 
notice  this  subject  in  part  in  our  next  lecture,  which 
will  be  on  the  subject  of  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  we  may  be  brief. 

How  tender  are  the  words  of  Joseph  to  those  who 
had  hated  him  without  a  cause  :  "  Come  near  to  me  I 
pray  you."  This  is  the  language  of  the  blessed  Jesus 
in  the  Gospel  of  his  grace.  He  speaks  to  every  sin- 
ner, saying,  "  come  near  to  me  I  pray  you."  The 
apostle  says  "  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye 
reconciled  to  God  ;  for  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for 
us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
eousness of  God  in  him." 

As  we  have  seen  that  the  blessing  which  came  upon 
the  head  of  Joseph,  was  in  all  respects,  as  large  and 
rich  as  could  be  desired,  may  we  not  believe  with  con- 
fidence, that  the  Redeemer  will  as  fully  "  see  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied  ?  "  If  in  room  of  that 
most  interesting  account  of  the  humble  submission  of 
all  Joseph's  enemies  to  him,  we  were  informed  that 
three  only  were  ever  brought  to  repentance,  and  to  be 
humble  before  him,  and  also  to  receive  of  his  bounty, 
could  we  consider  his  reward  to  be  equal  to  what  the 
present  account  makes  it  ?  Would  it  be  possible,  in 
this  case  to  see  how  his  dreams  were  fulfilled  ?  His 
sheaf  stood  upright,  and  all  his  brethren's  sheaves 
made  obeisance  to  it.  The  sun,  and  the  moon,  and 
the  eleven  stars  made  obeisance  unto  him.  With  less 
than  the  submission  of  all  could  these  heaven-inspired 
dreams  have  fully  come  to  pass  ?  With  all  this  was 
he  blessed,  and  blessed  in  the  sweet  enjoyment  of  a 
forgiving  spirit,  and  in  the  victory  that  spirit  gained  over 
the  affections  of  his  brethren.  Moreover,  he  was 
bountifully  blessed  in  his  liberal  bestowments  on  his 
dependant  brethren. —They  were  all  blessed  in  him, 
but  he  was  the  most  blessed  of  all:  for  "it  is  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive."  Thus  we  believe, 
that  with  less  than  the  reconciliation  of  all  men  to  Je- 
sus, the  faithful  word  of  all  God's  holy  prophets  since 
the  world  began,  who  have  spoken  of  the  restitution 
of  all  things,  can  never  be  fulfilled.     Nor  can  Jesus 


116  BALLOU'S  LECTURES. 

see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied  with  less 
than  the  humble  submission  to  his  laws,  of  all  who 
have  ever  been  his  enemies.  We  believe,  and  believ- 
ing we  rejoice,  that  the  kind  Redeemer  shall  finally  be 
blessed  with  the  full  enjoyment  of  forgiving  the  iniqui- 
ties of  all  his  enemies,  of  feeding  them  at  his  own  ta- 
ble, with  the  bread  of  everlasting  life.  All  will  be 
blessed  in  him  ;  "  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed  ;  " 
but  he  shall  be  the  most  blessed  of  all,  as  it  is  "  more 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 

Blessed  were  the  people  that  heard  tne  joyful  ti- 
dings, that  there  was  corn  in  Egypt.  How  did  the 
husband's  heart  leap  for  joy,  that  the  companion  of 
his  bosom  should  not  "  perish  with  hunger !  "  How 
unspeakably  happy  were  parents  made  when  assured 
that  their  children  could  be  supplied  with  bread ! 
More  blessed  still  are  the  "  people  who  know  the  joy- 
ful sound,"  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  and  walk  in  the 
light  of  the  Lord.  Parents  look,  behold  the  shepherd 
of  Israel  taking  your  little  children  in  his  arms,  and 
saying  "  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Said  the 
risen  Saviour  "go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature."  Yes,  my  friends,  you 
are  all  welcome  to  the  bread  of  life ;  and 

"  Christ  hath  sent  me  to  invite  you, 

"  To  a  rich  and  costly  feast. 
"  Let  not  shame  nor  pride  prevent  you, 

"  Come,  the  rich  pro  ision  taste/' 


LECTURE     IX 

THE    BLASPHEMY    AGAINST    THE    HOLY    GHOST. 
MATTHEW,  xii.  31,  32. 

Wherefore  I  say  unto  you,  All  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  for- 
given unto  men:  but  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not  be  for- 
given unto  men.  And  whosoever  speaketh  a  word  against  the  .Son  of  man, 
it  shall  be  forgiven  him:  but  whosoever  speaketh  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to 
come. 

Our  Saviour  spake  the  words  of  our  text  in  his  re- 
ply to  the  Pharisees,  who  said  of  him,  "  this  fellow 
doth  not  cast  out  devils  but  by  Beelzebub,  the  prince 
of  the  devils. " 

The  circumstance  which  led  the  Pharisees  to  speak 
as  we  have  just  noticed  was  the  following.  There  was 
brought  unto  Jesus  one  possessed  with  a  devil,  blind 
and  dumb  :  and  he  healed  him,  insomuch  that  the 
blind  and  dumb  both  spake  and  saw.  And  all  the 
people  were  amazed,  and  said,  is  not  this  the  son  of 
David?  That  is,  is  not  this  man  who  cast  out  devils 
and  works  so  many  miracles  the  Messiah  or  Christ  of 
whom  the  law  and  the  prophets  have  spoken  ?  As 
the  Pharisees  were  bitterly  opposed  to  Jesus,  this  ex- 
clamation from  the  people  gave  them  great  uneasiness, 
for  as  much  as  the  people  were  in  favor  of  Jesus,  so 
much  they  must  be  in  opposition  to  the  Pharisees.  In 
order,  therefore,  to  prevent  the  people  from  believing 
in  Jesus,  the  Pharisees  said  that  he  cast  out  devils  by 
Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the  devils. 

It  seems  that  the  miracles  of  Jesus  were  so  evident, 
so  open,  so  undisguised,  that  his  keenest  eyed  enemies 
found  no  chance  of  success  with  the  people  by  deny- 
ing the  facts  of  the  miracles ;  they  must,  therefore,  de- 


118  BALLOu's    LECTURES. 

ceive  the  people  by  some  other  means.  In  the  case  of 
the  miracle  wrought  on  the  man  that  was  born  blind, 
they  seemed  to  doubt  the  fact  of  his  having  been  born 
blind  ;  but  having  called  his  parents  and  received  their 
testimony,  they  were  compelled  to  believe  the  fact , 
but  they  said  to  the  man  to  whom  sight  had  been  giv- 
en, "  give  God  the  praise,  we  know  that  this  man  is  a 
sinner."  It  was  contended,  that  as  this  miracle  was 
performed  on  the  sabbath  day,  he  who  wrought  it 
could  not  be  of  God.  If  the  Pharisees  could  persuade 
the  people  that  Jesus  was  a  sinner,  notwithstanding  all 
the  miracles  which  he  did,  they  were  sure  that  they 
would  not  believe  that  he  was  the  Messiah  promised. 
But  it  seems  that  the  people  had  discernment  enough 
to  raise  the  question,  "  How  can  a  man  that  is  a  sin- 
ner do  such  miracles  ?"  This  question  must  receive 
some  sort  of  an  answer  ;  and  almost  any  thing  would 
do  that  superstition  would  countenance,  for  the  com- 
mon people  supposed  that  these  Pharisees  and  learned 
doctors  of  the  law,  being  godly  people  and  of  deep  dis- 
cernment must  know.  When,  therefore,  their  wisdom 
suggested  that  the  miracles  of  Jesus  were  effected  by 
the  agency  of  the  prince  of  the  devils,  it  was  by  no 
means  difficult  for  the  people  to  give  credit  to  the  opin- 
ion, for  they  were  already  fixed  in  the  superstitious  no- 
tions of  devils. 

The  declaration,  that  Jesus  cast  out  devils  by  Beel- 
zebub, the  prince  of  the  devils,  was  a  declaration  di- 
rectly against  the  spirit  and  power  by  which  the  mira- 
acle  was  effected.  In  reply  to  this  the  Saviour  rea- 
soned in  his  usual,  natural,  plain  and  energetic  man- 
ner, as  follows  :  "  Every  kingdom  divided  against  it- 
self is  brought  to  desolation:  and  every  city  or  house 
divided  against  itself  shall  not  stand  :  And  if  Satan 
cast  out  Satan,  he  is  divided  against  himself;  how 
shall  then  his  kingdom  stand  ?  And  if  I  by  Beelzebub 
cast  out  devils,  by  whom  do  your  children  cast  them 
out  ?  therefore  they  shall  be  your  judges.  But  if  I 
cast  out  devils  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  then  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  come  unto  you.  Or  else,  how  can  one  enter 
into  a  strong  man's  house,  and  spoil  his  goods,  except 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  119 

he  first  bind  the  strong  man  ?  and  then  he  will  spoil 
his  house.  He  that  is  not  with  me,  is  against  me  ;  and 
he  that  gathereth  not  with  me,  scattereth  abroad." 
Then  follow  the  words  of  our  text,  which,  when  con- 
sidered in  the  connexion  in  which  they  are  found, 
plainly  indicate  that  the  Pharisees,  who  said  that  Jesus 
cast  out  devils,  by  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the  devils, 
did,  in  so  saying,  speak  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  inquire  why  this  sin  or 
blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  which  the  mir- 
acles of  Jesus  were  wrought  could  not  as  easily  be  for- 
given as  any  other  sin  or  blasphemy.  It  is  generally 
contended  that  this  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  cannot 
be  forgiven  because  it  is  so  much  more  heinous  than 
all  other  sins  ;  but  because  this  is  the  general  opinion 
it  is  no  proper  evidence  of  its  being  true.  Has  it  ever 
been  proved  that  this  blasphemy  is  more  heinous  than 
other  sins  !  The  speaker  feels  solicitous  that  the  hear- 
er may  be  disposed,  on  this  subject,  to  admit,  of  noth- 
ing without  proof.  We  are  not  only  at  liberty  to  re- 
ject all  ideas  which  have  been  established  by  tradition 
without  proper  evidence,  but  it  is  our  religious  duty  so 
to  do.  Let  it  then  be  proved  that  this  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  could  not  be  forgiven  the  Pharisees  as  ea- 
sily as  any  other  sin  that  they  committed,  because  this 
sin  was  more  heinous  than  any  other,  and  then  we  will 
believe  it ;  but  not  before.  But  it  is  contended  that 
this  sin  is  certainly  greater  than  any  other,  because  it 
is  committed  against  greater  light.  Here  again  we  call 
for  proof.  Are  we  informed  in  the  scripture,  that  this 
sin  is  committed  against  greater  light  than  any  other  ? 
No,  we  have  no  such  information.  It  is  granted,  that 
learned  divines,  so  called,  have  made  very  nice  calcu- 
lations respecting  the  degrees  of  divine  light  and  knowl- 
edge which  were  required  in  order  to  enable  a  person 
to  commit  this  sin  ;  but  then  we  must  be  just  enough 
to  these  pious  doctors  to  allow  them  the  whole  of  the 
credit  due  to  such  profound  researches,  for  they  alone 
are  entitled  to  it  ;  they  have  had  no  help  from  divine 
revelation.     On  the  other  hand  it  is  our  duty  to  re- 


120  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

ceive  nothing  which  they  have  said  on  this  subject  as 
the    least   evidence    in  the   case.       Let    us  look    at 
the   subject    candidly.     The  Pharisees   spake    against 
Jesus,  and  said,  "  we  know  that  this  man  is  a  sinner." 
— Again,    they  spake    against    the  spirit   by  which  he 
wrought   miracles,    and  said  :  "  this    fellow  doth    not 
cast  out  devils  but  by  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the 
devils."     Now  have  we  any  evidence  to  believe  that 
these  Pharisees  had  any  more  light  or  divine  knowl- 
edge when  they  spake  the  latter   sentence,  than  when 
they  spake  the  former  ?     No,  we  have  no  such  intima- 
tion.    Why  then,  you  will    ask,  might  not  this  sin  be 
forgiven    as  easily  or  as   soon  as  other  sins?     We  still 
continue  to  reply  negatively  and    say,  not  because  this 
sin  is   greater    or  more  heinous    than    other  sins  ;  we 
have  a  right  to  say,  because  the  divine  word  gives  no 
authority  to  the  contrary.     Furthermore,   if  the  divine 
forgiveness    flow    from  the    infinite  fulness  of  grace  in 
God,  the    supposition  that  some  sins  are  so  small  that 
they  can  be  forgiven,  but  that  others  are  so  great  that 
they  cannot  be  forgiven,  is  a  flagrant  violation  of  rea- 
son.    If  some  sins  are  small  and  others  large  as  they 
compare  together,  it  is  plain  that  the  small  cannot  be 
infinitely  great,  and  it  follows  of  course  that  the  largest 
cannot  be  infinite  if  the  small  bear  any  proportion  to 
them.     Now  if  all  sin  be  of  the   finite  character  of  the 
mortal  sinner,  is   it   not  absurd  to  pretend  that   some 
sins  are  too  great  for  the  infinite  goodness  of  God  to 
forgive  ?     The  scripture  is  plain  on  this  subject.     See 
Isaiah,  i.  18.    "  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together, 
saith  the  Lord  :  Though   your    sins  be  as  scarlet,  they 
shall  be  as  white  as  snow ;  though  they  be  red  like 
crimson,    they  shall   be  as  wool."     The  most  natural 
sense  of  this  text  is,  that  though  the   sin  of  the  people 
were  of  the  deepest  dye,  they  might  be  washed  away. 
How  then  is  it  proper  to  explain  our  text  in  a  way  to 
contradict  this  evident  testimony  ?      The  forerunner  of 
Jesus  said   of  him  ;  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."     Here  is  no  excep- 
tion, no  reserve.     Th°  beloved  disciple  says  ;  "  If  we 
confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to   forgive  us 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  121 

oui  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness. — 
The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin."  In  these  passages  there  is  mention  made  of  the 
sin  of  the  world,  of  all  sin  and  of  all  unrighteousness, 
and  the  power  of  the  blessed  Son  of  God  is  honored 
as  being  sufficient  to  overcome  the  whole,  without  any  , 
exception. 

If  the  hearer  will  be  careful  enough  to  attend  to  a 
particular  method  of  argument  on  this  subject,  we  will 
endeavor  to  prove  from  the  divine  oracles  that  it  is  the 
design  of  the  Saviour  to  cleanse  every  sinner  of  the  hu- 
man race  from  all  sin,  not  excepting  the  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost.  If  the  hearer  say,  that  this  argument  is 
off  of  our  subject,  and  that  what  he  wishes  to  know  is, 
why  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost  may  not 
be  forgiven,  or  why  it  could  not  be  forgiven  as  soon  as 
other  sins,  he  may  be  told,  that  the  argument  propos- 
ed is  thought  to  be  necessary  in  order  to  settle  the 
question  whether  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is  ev- 
er to  be  forgiven  according  to  the  scriptures.  If  we 
find  that  this  sin  will  eventually  be  washed  away  by 
the  blood  of  Christ,  then  our  main  question  will  be  to 
ascertain  why  it  could  not  be  forgiven  "  neither  in  this 
world,  neither  in  the  world  to  come." 

St.  Paul  in  his  1st  Epistle  to  Timothy  lays  it  down 
as  an  important  fact  in  the  great  truths  of  the  gospel, 
that  Jesus,  the  Mediator  between  God  and  men,  had 
given  himself  a  ransom  for  all  men,  to  be  testified  in 
due  time.  To  the  Ephesians  he  lays  it  down  as  an  im- 
portant'fact,  that  Christ  loved  the  church  and  gave 
himself  for  it.  By  these  two  passages  we  have  it  prov- 
ed that  all  men  constitute  the  church  of  Christ  which 
he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood.  This  agrees 
also  with  this  Apostle's  declaration  to  the  Corinthians; 
"  I  would  have  you  to  know,  that  the  head  of  every 
man  is  Christ."  To  the  Hebrews  he  says,  that  Jesus, 
by  the  grace  of  God  tasted  death  for  every  man ;  and 
the  beloved  John  said,  that  he  is  the  propitiation  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  Now  it  is  certain,  that  if 
we  can  prove  any  thing  from  the  scriptures,  we  have 
proved,  by  the  quotations  made,  that  the  blessed  Sa- 
11 


122  BALLOU  S  LECTURES. 

viour  of  the  world  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  those 
Pharisees  who  spoke  this  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  that  he  tasted  death  for  them,  and  that  he  was 
the  propitiation  for  their  sins.  All  this  is  undeniably 
proved.  We  ask  in  the  next  place,  why  Jesus  gave 
himself  for  the  church  ?  The  Apostle  answers  in  the 
place  quoted  from  Ephesians  as  follows  ;  "  That  he 
might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  wa- 
ter by  the  word  ;  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a 
glorious  church,  not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any 
such  thing ;  but  that  it  should  be  holy,  and  without 
blemish."  The  argument  amounts  to  this.  Jesus 
gave  himself  for  his  church,  he  gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  those  pharisees  who  spake  blasphemy  against  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  they  therefore  belong  to  his  church.  Je- 
sus gave  himself  for  the  church,  that  he  might  sanctify 
and  cleanse  it  by  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word. 
He  therefore  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  these  blasphe- 
mous pharisees,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse 
them. 

To  the  Romans  St.  Paul  says  ;  "  As  by  the  offence 
of  one  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation, 
even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  the  free  gift  came 
upon  all  men  unto  justification  of  life."  Then  sure- 
ly by  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  second 
Adam,  the  Lord  from  heaven,  the  free  gift  had  came 
on  those  Pharisees  who  spake  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
unto  justification  of  life.  In  this  same  Epistle  he  says  ; 
"  For  all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of 
God  ;  being  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  Then  it  is  evi- 
dent that  all  who  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God  are  freely  justified,  through  the  redemp- 
tion of  which  the  apostle  here  spake ;  and  if  so,  then 
those  Pharisees,  who  sinned  by  blaspheming  against 
the  Holy  Ghost  were  freely  justified,  &c. 

What  must  be  done  in  this  case  ?  Will  the  object- 
or say,  that  the  testimony  of  Christ,  that  those  who 
blasphemed  against  the  Holy  Ghost  should  not  be  for- 
given "  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world  to 
come,"   plainly  disproves  all  which  St.   Paul  has  said 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  123 

on  the  subject  ?  But  why  have  we  not  equal  authori- 
ty to  say,  that  what  has  been  quoted  from  St  Paul  dis- 
proves what  Jesus  said  to  the  Pharisees  ?  What  we 
have  quoted  from  the  Apostle  is  much  more  than  what 
Jesus  said  concerning  this  blasphemy's  not  being  for- 
given. Pardon  this  form  of  expression  ;  it  is  design- 
ed to  bring  the  hearer  to  consider  how  the  testimony 
of  both  Jesus  and  Paul  may  be  allowed  to  stand  good 
as  the  faithful  word  of  divine  truth. 

We  may  now  endeavor  to  give  the  direct  reason 
why  this  blasphemy  could  not  be  forgiven  as  soon  as 
other  sins.  If  we  confine  ourselves  to  the  sense  of 
scripture  on  this  subject  we  shall  find  that  not  only 
these  Pharisees  had  a  design  to  answer  by  speaking 
against  the  spirit  by  which  Jesus  cast  out  devils,  but 
God  himself  had  also  a  design  to  answer  by  it,  and 
therefore  this  sin  must  remain  unwashed  away  until 
the  design  of  our  heavenly  Father  shall  be  fully  an- 
swered. Perhaps  some  will  say,  that  the  supposition 
that  the  divine  Being  had  any  purpose  to  answer  by 
means  of  this  blasphemy  is  blasphemy  itself.  But  the 
speaker  feels  fully  satisfied  on  this  point  of  doctrine, 
(viz.)  that  no  sin  can  exist  a  moment  longer  than  it 
answers  some  divine  purpose.  We  may  here  recol- 
lect what  was  seen  when  we  treated  in  our  last  lecture 
on  the  subject  of  Joseph  and  his  brethren.  Was  it 
not  evidently  seen  that  the  partiality  of  Jacob  in  favor 
of  the  son  of  his  old  age  was  controlled  by  divine  wis- 
dom to  answer  a  good  purpose  ?  Was  it  not  seen  that 
the  envy  of  the  sons  of  Jacob  towards  Joseph  was 
overruled  for  good  ?  Was  it  not  seen  that  the  avarice 
of  those  wicked  men  was  made  use  of  by  divine  Provi- 
dence to  check  the  power  of  anger  and  to  promote  a 
wise,  benevolent  object  ? 

But  what  object,  what  purpose  of  God  could  possi- 
bly be  promoted  by  such  abominable  blasphemies  as 
this  of  which  we  read  in  our  text  ?  Answer,  the  blind- 
ness  of  the  house  of  Israel,  the  fulfilling  of  the  prophe- 
cies concerning  Jesus,  and  the  establishment  of  the 
gospel  in  the  world  on  principles  consistent  with  pro- 
phetic testimony.     If  the  religious  Jews  had  believed 


124  BALLOTj's    LECTURES. 

that  Jesus  wrought  all  his  miracles  by  the  spirit  of  God , 
they  of  course  would  have  received  him  as  the  Mes- 
siah. If  they  had  thus  received  him  they  would  not 
have  rejected  him,  despised  him,  nor  would  they  have 
put  him  to  death.  Then  surely  the  testimony  of  the 
prophets  would  have  proved  false,  and  the  scriptures 
written  by  holy  men  of  God  moved  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  could  never  have  gained  credit  among  the  Gen- 
tiles. 

As  the  astonishing  miracles  wrought  by  the  hand  of 
Jesus  were  designed  by  heaven  as  proper  evidence  ot 
his  Messiahship,  the  blasphemy  of  imputing  these  mii- 
acles  to  the  power  of  an  evil  agent  was  the  only  sin 
that  could  prevent  the  religious  Jews  from  believing  in. 
Christ.  That  this  unbelief  of  the  Jews  was  necessary 
for  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies  we  are  certified  by 
the  following  scriptures.  St.  John,  12.  "  But  though 
he  had  done  so  many  miracles  before  them,  yet  they 
believed  not  on  him :  that  the  saying  of  Esaias  the 
prophet  might  be  fulfilled,  which  he  spake,  Lord,  who 
hath  believed  our  report  ?  and  to  whom  hath  the  arm 
of  the  Lord  been  revealed  ?  Therefore  they  could  not 
believe,  because  that  Esaias  said  again,  he  hath  blind- 
ed their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart,  that  they 
should  not  see  with  their  eyes  nor  understand  with 
their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them." 
Romans,  11.  "  For  as  ye  in  times  past  have  not  believ- 
ed God,  yet  have  now  obtained  mercy  through  their 
unbelief:  even  so  have  these  also  now  not  believed, 
that  through  your  mercy  they  also  may  obtain  mer- 
cy." In  the  passage  quoted  from  St.  John  we  find 
it  plainly  stated  that  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  was  ne- 
cessary for  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  of  Esaias; 
and  furthermore  it  is  stated  that  in  consequence  of 
what  God  had  done,  "  they  could  not  believe."  By 
the  passage  quoted  from  Romans  we  learn  the  spe- 
cial utility  of  the  Jews'  unbelief;  it  was  that  through  it 
the  Gentiles  might  obtain  mercy.  As  the  Jews'  unbe- 
lief led  them  to  fulfil  the  prophecies,  concerning  the 
Messiah,  so  their  unbelief  presented  to  the  Gentiles  the 
proper  evidence  of  the  divinity  of  the  scriptures  of  the 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  125 

prophets,  and  of  the  mission  of  Jesus.  Here  then,  we 
may  say,  we  have  proved  that  our  heavenly  Father 
has  plainly  revealed  in  his  word,  that  he  had  a  divine 
purpose  to  answer  by  means  of  the  Jews'  unbelief, 
which  was  to  communicate  his  grace  to  the  Gentiles. 
This  being  granted,  or  rather  proved,  it  must  follow  of 
course  that  when  this  unbelief  or  blasphemy  has  effect- 
ed all  which  God  designed  by  it,  the  merciful  Father 
of  our  spirits  will  use  means  to  remove  it  from  the 
house  of  Israel;  and  therefore  it  is  said,  as  quoted 
from  Romans,  11  ;  "  Even  so  have  these  also  now  not 
believed,  that  through  your  mercy  they  also  may  obtain 
mercy."  As  the  unbelief  of  the  Jews  was  the  means 
of  communicating  mercy  to  the  Gentiles,  so  in  return, 
the  mercy  which  the  Gentiles  have  by  such  means  ob- 
tained will  finally  be  communicated  to  the  Jews.  We 
read  again  in  this  chapter  the  following  :  "  For  I  would 
not,  brethren,  that  ye  should  be  ignorant  of  this  mys- 
tery, that  blindness  in  part  is  happened  to  Israel,  until 
the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in.  And  so  all 
Israel  shall  be  saved  :  as  it  is  written,  there  shall  come 
out  of  Sion  the  deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away  ungodli- 
ness from  •  acob."  When  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles 
shall  be  converted  to  Christ,  then  the  blasphemy  of 
the  Jews  will  have  answered  the  purpose  for  which 
God  designed  it,  and  then  the  deliverer  of  Israel  will 
be  sent  out  of  Sion  and  will  turn  away  this  ungodli- 
ness from  Jacob. 

The  hearer  can  scarcely  avoid  seeing  that  all  these 
things  are  made  plain  by  the  testimony  of  divine  in- 
spiration ;  but  many  mid  a  very  great  difficulty  in  sub- 
mitting to  the  idea  that  the  divine  Being  ever  intended 
to  answer  any  purpose  by  means  of  man's  transgres- 
sion. Yet  in  the  case  of  Joseph's  brethren,  it  is  fully 
evident,  that  God  made  use  of  their  wickedness  to 
promote  their  brother  to  great  power,  and  to  give 
him  an  opportunity  of  rewarding  them  good  for  their 
evil  towards  him.  So,  also,  the  wickedness  of  the 
Jews,  their  hatred  towards  the  blessed  Jesus,  and 
their  blasphemy  against  the  spirit  by  which  his  mira- 
cles were  wrought,  all  served  and  still  serve  to  bring 
11  * 


126  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

the  object  of  their  envy   before  the  world  of  the   Gen- 
tiles as  the  glorious  Messiah   promised  in  the  law  and 
in  the  prophets,  and  to  establish  the  doctrine  of  God's 
everlasting  love  to  sinners  on   a  foundation   that  can 
never  be  shaken.     And  to  crown  the  whole  of  this  di- 
vine plan  with  glory  and  complete   success,   after  this 
wickedness  of  the  Jews  shall  have  produced  the  effects 
before  noticed,  the  blessed  Redeemer,  will  then,   like 
Joseph,  make   himself  known  unto  his  brethren   the 
Jews,  saying,  as  he  did  to  one  of  them,  "  I   am  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  whom  thou  persecutest."     It  is  worthy  of 
notice  that  Joseph's  brethren,  by  means  of  their  hatred 
to  him,  gave  a  saviour  to  the    land   of  Egypt  and   to 
many    other  countries  ;    and   also,   that   thousands   of 
Egyptians  rejoiced  in  this  most  gracious  saviour  before 
his  own  dear  brethren  were  brought  to  know  him,   or 
to  partake  of  his  bounty.     So  the  Jews,   by  rejecting 
their  Messiah,  gave  a  glorious  Saviour  to  the   Gentiles 
who  rejoice  in   knowing  him  and  in  feasting  on  his 
grace,  while  the  Jews  who  gave  him  to  us  are  weeping, 
wailing  and  gnashing  their  teeth.  But  thanks  be  to  God, 
our  Blessed  Saviour  knows   his  brethren,   his  bowels 
yearn  upon  them,  he  has  stores  of  corn  for  their  relief, 
soon  will  the  burst  of  joy  be  heard  through  all    the 
Gentile  church,  of  Jesus'   making  himself  known   to 
his  brethren.     When  the  Saviour  wept  over  Jerusalem, 
he  closed  his  lamentation  with  these  memorable  words  ; 
"  Behold,  your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate.     For  I 
say  unto  you,  ye  shall  not  see  me  henceforth,   till  ye 
shall  say,  blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord." 

We  may  now  inquire  for  the  meaning  of  the  follow- 
ing words  in  our  text ;  "  neither  in  this  world,  neither 
in  the  world  to  come."  The  wTord  world  means  age 
or  dispensation.  Jesus  spake  these  words  under  the 
law,  during  the  continuance  of  the  legal  priesthood. 

This  world"  referred   to  the  then  present  order  of 


I 


things,  and  "  the  world  to  ccme"  to  the  age  in  which 
the  Gentiles  would  be  visited  with  the  gospel,  and  the 
Jews  excluded.  That  this  is  a  definition  of  the  word 
world  which  is  according  to  scripture,  the  hearer  may 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  127 

satisfy  himself  by  attending  to  the  following  passages  • 
In  the  24th  of  Matthew,  the  disciples  of  Jesus  asked 
him  when  the  end  of  the  world  was  to  come ;  and  in 
his  reply  he  represented  to  them  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem as  the  end  of  the  world,  and  told  them  it  would 
take  place  in  that  generation.  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  says,  of  Christ ;  "  But  now  once  in 
the  end  of  the  world,  hath  he  appeared,  to  put  away 
sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself."  Other  passages  to 
the  same  effect  may  also  be  consulted  at  the  hearer's 
leisure. 

It  is  true  that  some  who  believe  that  this  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost  will  finally  be  forgiven,  carry  its  pun- 
ishment into  a  future  world,  meaning  thereby  a  future 
state  of  existence.  But  as  they,  after  all,  are  under 
the  necessity  of  understanding  the  word  world  as  we 
have  explained  it,  that  is,  to  mean  a  dispensation,  it 
seems  unnecessary  to  carry  this  sin  into  a  future  state 
beyond  our  mortal  existence.  And  more  especially 
does  this  appear  unnecessary,  because  all  the  benefit 
which  it  appears  was  designed  to  be  effected  by  the 
unbelief  of  the  Jews,  seems  evidently  to  appertain  to 
this  state  of  being.  If  it  can  be  made  to  appear  that 
God  has  some  good  end  to  answer,  by  having  this  sin, 
or  any  other  exist  in  a  future  world,  we  shall  cordially 
subscribe  to  such  a  belief;  but  to  suppose  that  the  Al- 
mighty will  perpetuate  any  sin  in  a  future  state  only 
for  the  sake  of  tormenting  his  dependant  offspring  is 
dishonorable  to  his  ever  blessed  and  gracious  name. — 
The  opinion  that  the  divine  Being  exercises  a  disposi- 
tion of  revenge  towards  man  for  sin,  as  a  man  who 
has  received  an  injury  from  his  neighbor  is  influenced 
thereby  to  injure  him  in  return,  is  totally  contrary  to 
the  religion  of  Jesus,  and  is  altogether  degrading  both 
to  God  and  man.  The  Father  of  our  spirits,  always 
exercises  one  invariable  disposition  towards  all  his  crea- 
tures ;  this  disposition  is  love.  It  was  love  that  moved 
God  to  overrule  circumstances  so  as  to  send  Joseph 
into  Egypt  by  means  of  his  brethren's  envy,  and 
these  brethren  were  the  objects  of  this  love,  and  they 
finally  enjoyed  its  blessed  fruits.     The  same  love  mov 


128  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

ed  our  Father  in  heaven  so  to  overrule  circumstances 
as  to  bring  Jesus  to  the  cross  by  means  of  the  blasphe- 
my mentioned  in  our  text,  and  it  is  evidently  the  re- 
vealed determination  of  God,  that  the  blasphemous 
Jews  shall  richly  share  of  the  divine  grace  which  they 
have  been  the  means  of  manifesting  to  the  world. 
God  is  good,  and  his  intentions  are  good  when  he  per- 
mits the  evil  passions  of  man  to  lead  him  into  sin  ;  he 
is  good,  and  his  intentions  are  all  compassionate  and 
kind  when  he  brings  on  his  erring  children  the  most 
severe  of  his  chastisements ;  and  he  is  also  good  in 
finally  producing  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness 
in  those  whom  he  causes  to  feel  his  rod. 

After  having  presented  the  hearer  with  what  ap- 
pears to  be  the  true  design  of  the  text  under  consider- 
ation, it  may  be  profitable  to  look  at  the  common  opin- 
ion on  the  subject  and  see  if  it  have  the  resemblance 
of  the  spirit  of  Christ.  The  common  opinion  of  oui 
text  is  this ;  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
a  sin  too  great  ever  to  be  forgiven,  and  therefore  the 
blasphemer  must  be  punished  in  a  most  awful  state  of 
torment  eternally  ;  or  as  long  as  God  exists.  But  let 
us  ask,  why  is  this  sin  so  great  ?  Why  may  it  not  be 
forgiven?  Why  should  the  Almighty  become  unkind 
to  his  children  because  they  have  committed  this  sin  ? 
Is  the  Almighty  injured  by  this  sin  ?  No,  God  cannot 
be  injured  by  his  creatures.  Was  Jesus  injured  as 
much  by  this  blasphemy  as  the  common  doctrine  sup- 
poses those  will  be  injured  who  committed  it  ?  No,  it 
is  allowed  that  Jesus  rests  in  glory  in  heaven.  Then 
the  law  that  requires  an  eye  for  an  eye  does  not  require 
that  the  blasphemer  should  be  punished  world  without 
end.  But  suppose  the  most  awful  punishment  be  inflict- 
ed to  all  eternity  on  those  blasphemers,  is  this  exactly 
according  to  the  spirit  of  Jesus,  who  on  the  cross,  pray- 
ed ;  "  Father  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what 
they  do  ?"  Jesus  commanded  his  disciples  to  love 
their  enemies,  to  pray  for  those  that  used  them  spite- 
fully and  persecuted  them ;  is  it  according  to  this  spirit 
and  disposition,  that  he  will  torment  his  enemies  eter- 
nally in  the  merciless  flames  of  fire  and  brimstone  ?     If 


BALLOU  S     LECTURES.  1Q9 

it  be  safe  to  believe,  that  Jesus  will  always  possess  and 
exercise  the  same  spirit  of  love  and  compassion,  which 
so  distinctly  marked  the  character  which  he  exhibited 
in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  we  certainly  have  no  more  rea- 
son to  believe  that  he  will  consign  the  blasphemous  Jews 
to  never  ending  torment,  than  we  have  to  believe  that 
eveiy  tender,  fond  mother  in  America  will,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  a  short  given  time,  commit  her  tenderest 
offspring  to  the  flames.  Let  those  who  contend  for 
the  common  unmerciful  doctrine,  to  the  support  of 
which  the  text  under  consideration  is  usually  applied, 
duly  consider  the  words  of  Jesus,  to  those  of  his  disci- 
ples, who  manifested  a  disposition  to  command  fire 
from  heaven  on  the  inhabitants  of  a  village  of  Samaria ; 
"  Ye  know  not  what  manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of;  the 
Son  of  man  is  not  come  to  destroy  men's  lives  but  to 
save  them." 

The  enemy  of  the  spirit  of  God  and  of  truth  will  say 
in  reply  to  the  foregoing  arguments,  if  these  things  are 
all  so,  we  may  sin  with  impunity  and  blaspheme  with- 
out fear  ;  we  may  hate  God,  disregard  his  command- 
ments, give  no  heed  to  the  gospel  and  abuse  the  Sa- 
viour. Though  we  hope  that  none  present  are  so 
blind,  so  hard  hearted,  so  dead  to  the  spirit  of  truth  as 
to  make  these  suggestions,  yet  it  may  be  serviceable 
to  guard  against  such  insinuations,  as  we  know  the  op- 
posers  of  divine  truth  are  continually  making  use  of 
them  against  the  doctrine  of  divine  love.  Come,  then, 
and  let  us  reason  together  on  this  subject.  Are  you 
willing  to  step  forth  boldly  and  say  to  the  world,  that 
the  more  you  believe  in  the  goodness  of  God,  the  more 
you  feel  disposed  to  hate  and  disobey  him  ?  The 
more  confident  you  are  that  the  Saviour  is  your  un- 
changeable friend,  the  more  you  feel  disposed  to  abuse 
him?  No,  there  is  neither  male  nor  female  in  the 
world  so  morally  deranged  as  to  talk  in  this  way. 
How  then  will  the  opposer  argue  ?  He  will  say  that 
it  is  his  opinion  that  the  doctrine  contended  for  in  this 
discourse  is  of  dangerous  tendency.  But  who  does  it 
dangerously  influence  ?  Certainly  not  the  believer  of 
it,  for  a  belief  in  the  divine  goodness  tends  to  fill  the 


130  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

believer  with  love  to  God,  and  love  to  God  is  that 
alone  which  can  lead  us  to  obey  him.  Who,  then, 
does  this  doctrine  affect  so  dangerously  ?  If  any,  it 
must  be  the  unbeliever,  the  opposer.  Here  we  must 
allow  the  argument,  in  a  sense,  for  the  preaching  of 
Jesus  himself  tended  to  enrage  his  enemies,  his  mira- 
cles of  mercy  tended  to  open  their  mouths  in  blasphe- 
my. But  would  it  have  been  better  not  to  preach  the 
truth  because  it  stirred  up  the  opposition  ?  Would  it 
have  been  better  not  to  cast  out  devils  because  if  he  cast 
them  out  the  Pharisees  would  blaspheme  and  say,  that 
<:  this  fellow  doth  not  cast  out  devils  but  by  Beelzebub, 
the  prince  of  the  devils  ?" 

The  opposer  will  say,  perhaps,  that  he  means  this  ; 
if  we  believe  in  so  much  goodness  it  will  tend  to  make 
us  worse.  But  this  is  absurd  ;  for  every  thing  tends  to 
its  own,  goodness  to  goodness,  evil  to  evil,  love  to  love, 
hatred  to  hatred,  harmony  to  harmony,  discord  to 
discord,  friendship  to  friendship,  enmity  to  enmity. 

But,  says  the  objector,  according  to  this  doctrine 
there  is  no  punishment  for  sin,  no,  not  even  for  this 
awful  blasphemy.  Here  again  is  a  mistake.  For 
nearly  eighteen  hundred  years  the  Jews,  the  descend- 
ants of  him  to  whom  the  promise  of  the  gospel  was 
made,  have  wandered  in  "  outer  darkness,"  in  conse- 
quence of  this  blasphemy,  and  how  much  longer  they 
will  continue  in  this  unhappy  situation  none  but  our 
merciful  Father  in  heaven  knows.  But  the  objector 
will  say  that  these  arguments  do  not  suppose  that  the 
Pharisees  who  blasphemed  in  the  days  of  Jesus  on 
earth  are  now  burning  in  fire  and  brimstone  for  that 
sin  in  the  immortal  world.  No,  we  see  no  evidence 
of  this.  If  people  are  possessed  with  devils  in  the 
eternal  world,  and  if  Jesus  cast  out  devils  in  that 
world,  and  these  old  Pharisees  there  in  that  world 
believe  and  say  that  he  casts  out  devils  by  Beelzebub 
the  prince  of  the  devils,  then  it  is  granted,  that  in  the 
eternal  world  they  must  be  punished  for  such  unrea- 
sonable folly. 

But,  my  brethren,  let  us  learn  wisdom  by  the  en- 
samples  furnished  in   the  word  of  God,  and  remem- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  131 

ber  that  now  is  the  accepted  time,  now  is  the  day 
of  salvation;  and  that  none  but  the  willing  and   obe 
dient  eat  the  good  of  the  land. 


LECTURE   X. 

THE    SCRIPTURE    DOCTRINE    OF    ELECTION. 
ROMANS,  xi.  7. 

What  then  1     Israel  hath  not  obtained  that    which  he  seeketh  for;   but  the 
election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded. 

The  design  in  view  which  has  led  to  the  choice  of 
this  portion  of  divine  truth,  as  a  subject  of  our  present 
lecture,  is  to  investigate  the  scripture  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion, to  show  the  strict  sovereignty,  of  God  in  elect- 
ing some  and  binding  others,  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  the  exercise  of  his  sovereignty,  and  to  disprove 
the  common  doctrine  of  election  which  supposes,  that 
our  heavenly  Father,  from  eternity,  elected  some  to 
everlasting  life,  and  predestinated  others  to  a  state  oi 
endless  misery. 

Our  subject  is  one  in  which  every  christian  must 
feel  deeply  interested,  as  it  essentially  concerns  the 
divine  character,  his  revealed  will  concerning  the  final 
state  of  mankind,  together  with  the  ultimate  object  oi 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  therefore  hoped  that 
due  attention  and  impartial  candor  will  contribute  to 
their  utmost  to  a  correct  understanding  of  the  weighty 
subject  under  consideration. 

By  "  the  election"  in  our  text  the  Apostle  means  a 
remnant  of  the  house  of  Israel,  who  had  obtained  what 
the  whole  had  sought  for,  but  of  which  the  greatest 
part  had  come  short,  being  blinded.  In  the  preceding 
chapters  the  Author  had  spoken  of  the  failure  of  the 
house  of  Israel  in  their  endeavors  to  attain  to  the  law 
of  righteousness,  and  of  the  more  favorable  condition 
of  the  Gentiles,  who  though  they  did  not  follow  after 
righteousness,  yet  had  "  attained  to  righteousness,  even 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  133 

the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith."  To  the  Gentiles 
he  applies  a  prophesy  of  Esaias  as  follows  ;  "  I  was 
found  of  them  that  sought  me  not ;  1  was  made  man- 
ifest to  them  that  asked  not  after  me."  But  concern- 
ing the  house  of  Israel  he  uses  the  following  words  : 
"  But  to  Israel  he  saith,  all  day  long,  I  have  stretched 
forth  my  hands  unto  a  disobedient  and  gainsaying 
people."  In  the  commencement  of  this  chapter  his 
attention  seems  to  be  directed  to  make  it  appear  that, 
notwithstanding  all  which  he  had  said,  God  had  by  no 
means,  cast  away  the  whole  of  his  people,  the  Jews. 
The  following  is  his  reasoning  on  the  subject :  "  I  say 
then,  hath  God  cast  away  his  people  ?  God  forbid. 
For  I  also  am  an  Israelite,  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  of 
the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  God  hath  not  cast  away  his  peo- 
ple which  he  foreknew.  Wot  ye  not  what  the  scrip- 
ture saith  of  Elias,  how  he  rnaketh  intercession  to  God 
against  Israel,  saying,  Lord,  they  have  killed  thy  pro- 
phets, and  digged  down  thine  altars  ;  and  I  am  left 
alone  and  they  seek  my  life  ?  But  what  saith  the  an- 
swer of  God  unto  him  ?  I  have  reserved  to  myself 
seven  thousand  men,  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee 
to  the  image  of  Baal.  Even  so  then,  at  this  present 
time  also  there  is  a  remnant  according-  to  the  election 
ol  grace."  That  is,  as  in  the  days  of  Elijah  it  pleased 
God  to  reserve  seven  thousand  of  the  Israelites  to  be 
true  worshippers  of  himself,  while  the  rest  bowed  the 
knee  to  Baal,  so  now,  while  the  general  mass  of  the 
stock  of  Abraham  are  blinded,  have  stumbled  at  the 
stumbling  stone  laid  in  Sion,  and  are  broken  off  through 
unbelief,  there  is  a  remnant  still  preserved,  who  have 
escaped  the  general  calamity,  and  have  by  grace  ob- 
tained what  the  others  sought  for  but  found  not ;  of 
this  remnant,  the  Apostle  reckons  himself  as  one. 

The  hearer  is  now  called  on  to  direct  his  attention 
to  understand,  that  this  election  was  not  made  with 
the  least  reference  to  the  works  of  the  chosen.  This 
the  Apostle  is  careful  to  notice  in  a  most  plain,  and 
positive  manner.  See  his  observation  in  the  6th  verse. 
"  And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  works  ;  other- 
wise grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works, 
12 


134  .  BALLOTj's    LECTURES. 

then  is  it  no  more  grace  ;  otherwise  work  is  no  more 
work."  This  argument  supposes  that  if  this  election 
had  been  according  to  works,  grace  would  have  been 
entirely  excluded  ;  but  as  it  was  by  grace,  works  were 
excluded.  In  the  9th  chapter  the  author  in  describ- 
ing the  sovereignty  of  God  in  the  election  of  Jacob  in 
preference  to  Esau,  says  ;  "  For  the  children  being  not 
yet  born  ;  neither  having  done  any  good  or  evil,  that 
the  purpose  of  God,  according  to  election  might  stand 
not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth."  And  in  fur- 
ther arguing  on  this  subject  he  adds  ;  "  For  he  saith  to 
Moses,  I  will  have  mercy,  on  whom  I  will  have  mer- 
cy, and  I  will  have  compassion  on  w  horn  I  will  have 
compassion.  So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor 
of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy. 
For  the  scriptures  saith  unto  Pharaoh,  even  for  this 
same  purpose  have  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I  might  shew 
my  power  in  thee,  and  that  my  name  might  be  declared 
throughout  all  the  earth.  Therefore  hath  he  mercy 
on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he 
hardeneth."  To  confirm  his  divine  sovereignty  still 
further  the  inspired  Apostle  adds  the  following  signi- 
ficant query  ;  "  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over  the 
clay,  of  the  same  lump  to  make  one  vessel  unto  hon- 
or, and  another  unto  dishonor  ?  What  if  God,  willing 
to  shew  his  wrath,  and  to  make  his  power  known,  en- 
dured with  much  long  suffering  the  vessels  of  wrath 
fitted  to  destruction  ;  and  that  he  might  make  known 
the  riches  of  his  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy,  which 
he  had  afore  prepared  unto  glory,  even  us,  whom  he 
hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but  also  of  the  Gen- 
tiles ?" 

Not  only  does  the  Apostle  labour  to  show  that  the 
remnant  of  the  house  of  Israel,  which  he  calls  the  elec- 
tion, were  elected  according  to  the  strict  sovereignty 
of  God  and  called  by  the  riches  of  sovereign  grace, 
and  made  vessels  of  mercy  according  to  the  same  un- 
conditional grace  of  God,  but  he  also  directs  his 
argument  to  prove  that  the  blindness  of  the  Jews 
in  general,  their  hardness  of  heart,  &c,  was  ef- 
fected also  by  the  sovereign  will  and  pleasure  of  God, 


BALLOU   S    LECTURES.  135 

"  According  as  it  is  written,  God  hath  given  them  the 
spirit  of  slumber,  eyes  that  they  should  not  see,  and 
ears  that  they  should  not  hear.     And  David  saith,   let 
their  table  be  made  a  snare,  and  a  trap,  and  a  stum- 
blingblock,  and  a  recompence   unto  them:  let  their 
eyes   be  darkened,  that  they   may  not  see,  and  bow 
down  their  back   alway."     On   the  same  subject  we 
read  in  the   prophecy  of  Isaiah  as  follows ;  "  And  he 
said,  go,  and  tell  this  people,  hear  ye   indeed,  but  un- 
derstand  not  ;  and   see   ye   indeed,  but   perceive  not. 
Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat,  and  make  their  ears 
heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes  ;  lest   they  see  with  their 
eyes,  and  hear  with   their  ears,  and  understand  with 
their  heart,  and  convert  and  be  healed."     And  that 
this  work  of  hardening;  and  blinding  the  house  of  Israel 
was  effectually  done  we  have  the  assurance  in  the  12th 
chapter  of  the  gospel  of  St.  John :  "  But  though  he 
had  done  so  many  miracles  before  them,  yet  they  be- 
lieved not  on  him  :  that  the  saying  of  Esaias  the  pro- 
phet might  be  fulfilled,  which  he  spake,   Lord,  who 
hath  believed  our  report  ?  and  to  whom  hath  the  arm 
of  the  Lord  been  revealed  ?     Therefore  they  could  not 
believe,  because  that  Esaias  said  again,  he  hath  blind- 
ed their  eyes,  and   hardened   their  heart,    that   they 
should  not  see  with  their  eyes,   nor  understand   with 
their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them. 
These  things  said  Esaias  when  he  saw  his  glory  and 
spake  of  him.''     In  this  passage  it  is  stated  that  "they 
could  not  believe."     It  is  therefore  evident  that  they 
were  effectually  blinded,  and  to  all  intents  hardened 
so  that  to  believe  in  Jesus  was  not  in  their  power.     It 
appears  furthermore,  that  the  Saviour  himself  regarded 
this  blindness  of  the  Jews  with   peculiar  caution,   and 
delivered  his  doctrine  in  parables  on  purpose  that  they 
might  not  understand.     Of  this   we  are  informed  in 
Matthew  13th — "  And  the    disciples  came,  and   said 
unto  him,  Why  speakest  thou  unto  them  in  parables  ? 
He  answered  and  said  unto  them,  because  it  is  given 
unto  you   to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  but  to  them  it  is  not  given."     And  because 
God  saw  fit  to  hide  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of  his 


136  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

grace  from  the  Jews,  Jesus  expressed  his  thanks  to  the 
Father  as  recorded  in  Matthew  11th — "at  that  time 
Jesus  answered  and  said,  I  thank  thee,  O  Father, 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast  hid  these 
things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed 
them  unto  babes.  Even  so,  Father  ;  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  thy  sight."  The  reason  here  given  why  the 
Father  had  hidden  these  things  from  the  Jews  was  that 
it  seemed  good  in  his  sight  so  to  do. 

Let  us  attend,  in  the  next  place,  to  see  if  we  can 
learn  from  the  divine  testimony,  the  special  good 
which  was  brought  about  by  the*  exercise  of  the  divine 
sovereignty  in  the  instances  which  have  been  noticed. 
This  is  a  subject  of  vast  concern,  for  the  sentiment  we 
embrace  respecting  it  directly  affects  the  moral  charac- 
ter of  the  divine  Being:  If  we  consent  to  the  opinion, 
that  the  elect  which  we  have  noticed  are  elected  unto 
eternal  life,  to  enjoy  endless  felicity,  while  those  who 
are  not  of  the  elect  are  predestinated  to  everlasting  de- 
struction in  the  future,  eternal  world,  we  thereby 
charge  God  with  partiality  ;  and  it  is  utterly  in  vain 
to  attempt  to  clear  the  divine  Being  of  this  partiality 
while  we  admit  such  a  sentiment.  It  is  true,  our  chris- 
tian doctors  have  contended,  that  some  were  elected 
from  all  eternity  unto  eternal  life,  and  the  rest  of  man- 
kind were  reprobated  to  endless  misery  for  the  glory 
of  God  ;  and  they  are  therefore  unwilling  to  allow  that 
there  is  any  partiality  in  God  in  thus  disposing  of  his 
creatures  for  his  own  glory.  But  if  we  allow  ourselves 
to  be  more  particular  on  this  subject,  is  it  not  evident 
according  to  this  sentiment  that  the  glory  of  God  re- 
quires him  to  be  good  and  merciful  to  some  men,  but 
utterly  unmerciful  to  others  ?  As  this  must  be  grant- 
ed, it  follows  of  necessary  consequence,  that  the  glory 
of  God  requires  him  to  be  partial.  Nor  does  it  alter 
the  case  in  the  least  to  say,  that  the  greatest  possible 
good  of  the  whole,  requires  the  endless  misery  of  some; 
for  this  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  viz.  the  greatest 
possible  good  of  the  whole  consists  in  partial  goodness, 
which  is  an  absurdity.  If  we  are  able  to  find  out 
what  it  is  that  the  righteousness  of  God,  according  to 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  137 

the  purpose  of  election,  consists  in,  it  must  be  some- 
thing that  accords  with  our  views  of  moral  righteous- 
ness ;  for  nothing  can  be  more  evident  than  that  we 
can  see  no  righteousness  in  that  which  is  contrary  to 
all  our  sense  of  right.  For  instance,  should  an  earthly 
parent  choose  three  children  out  of  nine  to  partake  of 
all  the  favors  which  he  could  possibly  bestow  from  his 
ample  wealth,  and  destine  the  remaining  six  to  the  most 
severe  wretchedness  that  could  possibly  be  endured, 
and  all  this  should  be  directed  by  the  sovereign  will  of 
the  parent  without  any  regard  to  the  conduct  of  the 
children,  we  should  be  under  the  necessity  of  pro- 
nouncing this  conduct  partial  and  unrighteous.  If  this 
parent  should  inform  us,  that  he  did  this  for  the  pro- 
motion of  his  glory  as  a  parent,  it  would  answer  no 
purpose,  as  to  giving  the  least  satisfaction  that  his  con- 
duct was  right.  Or  if  he  should  inform  us  that  he  act- 
ed, in  all  this,  for  the  good  of  the  whole,  and  that  the 
greatest  good  of  the  whole  required  the  utter  ruin  and 
destruction  of  two  thirds  ;  this  would  reflect  no  light 
on  the  subject.  But  if  the  parent  of  nine  children 
had  a  piece  of  work  to  perform  which  was  indispensa- 
ble for  the  richest  benefit  of  all  his  offspring,  and  that 
in  order  to  effect  this  object  it  was  necessary  for  some, 
two,  or  three,  to  know  certain  things  relative  to  his 
plan,  and  equally  necessary  for  the  rest  to  be  ignorant 
of  those  things  which  were  revealed  to  the  few,  there 
is  no  difficulty  in  seeing  the  impartiality  of  the  parent 
in  making  known  to  certain  individuals  what  he  care- 
fully kept  from  the  rest.  And  even  should  he  use 
means  to  blind  his  children  in  this  c  ise  it  would  be 
perfectly  consistent  with  his  grand  object,  and  consist- 
ent with  impartial  goodness. 

Christian  hearer,  suppose  yourself  one  of  the  chil- 
dren, who  was  enlightened  into  the  mysteries  of  this 
scheme  which  was  wisely  planned  for  the  best  good  of 
yourself  and  of  the  whole  family;  suppose  too  that 
you  sincerely  loved  all  your  family,  and  could  clearly 
see  how  all  were  to  be  benefitted  by  the  blindness,  or 
ignorance  of  those  who  were  unenlightened,  would 
it  not  be  perfectly  natural  for  you  to  thank  your  father 
12* 


138  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

for  hiding  those  mysteries  from  them,  and  revealing 
them  to  you  ?  With  these  enlightened  views,  and  in 
the  exercise  of  impartial  love  towards  those  who  were 
in  darkness  should  you  not  be  willing  to  suffer  any  re- 
proach from  them  which,  on  account  of  their  necessary 
ignorance,  they  might  heap  upon  you  ?  And  would 
you  not  esteem  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  for  which 
you  might  suffer  sufficient  to  countervail  all  your  suf- 
ferings ?  Sometimes  would  you  not  feel  such  ardent 
desires  towards  your  deceived  brethren  as  would  lead 
you  to  wish  yourself  in  their  ignorance,  if  thereby 
they  might  be  permitted  to  see  what  you  were  bless- 
ed with  seeing,  and  hear  that  which  you  rejoiced  to 
hear  ? 

Dearly  beloved  hearer,  your  humble  servant  feels 
perfectly  satisfied  that  this  is  the  true  spirit  and  light 
of  the  wisdom  of  God ;  he  enjoys  a  full  persuasion  that 
the  elections  of  God  recorded  in  the  scriptures  are  all 
established  on  this  eternal  principle  of  impartial  good- 
ness, and  that  every  elected,  enlightened  child  of  God 
is  exercised  with  this  spirit  of  love  and  pity  for  those 
who  are  in  unbelief. 

That,  those,  of  whom  the  Apostle  spake  in  our  text 
as  not  obtaining  what  they  sought  for,  but  were  blind- 
ed, were  the  subjects  of  the  divine  favor,  that  their 
blindness  was  necessary  for  the  benefit  of  the  wrorld, 
and  that  they  were  designed,  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  to 
be  partakers  of  the  benefits  arising  to  the  world  from 
their  blindness  and  fall,  the  Apostle  fully  proves  in  the 
chapter  where  our  text  is  written,  as  we  shall  now  pro- 
ceed to  show. 

Let  us  notice  the  text  and  what  follows ;  "  What 
then  ?  Israel  hath  not  obtained  that  which  he  seeketh 
for  ;  but  the  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest 
were  blinded  (according  as  it  is  written,  God  hath 
given  them  the  spirit  of  slumber,  eyes  that  they  should 
not  see,  and  ears  that  they  should  not  hear)  unto  this 
day.  And  David  saith,  let  their  table  be  made  a  snare, 
and  a  trap,  and  a  stumblingblock,  and  a  recompence 
unto  them  :  let  their  eyes  be  darkened,  that  they  may 
not  see,  and  bow  down  their  back  alway."     Here  let 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  139 

us  pause.  — Here  let  us  ask,  does  divine  revelation 
close  this  subject  in  this  place?  Does  it  afford  no 
hope  that  these  blinded,  fallen  sons  of  Israel,  who 
stumbled  at  the  stumbling  stone  laid  in  Zion  will  final- 
ly be  received  to  favor  ?  Are  the  inexorable  doors  of 
eternal  mercy  shut  against  them  by  an  unalterable  de- 
cree of  the  God  of  their  fathers  ?  If  all  this  were  true 
then  would  the  doctrine  of  election  and  reprobation,  as 
has  been  held  in  the  christian  church  for  ages  be  true 
also  ;  but  hark  !  What  does  the  inspired  apostle  say 
further  on  this  subject  and  concerning  them  who  were 
blinded  and  had  stumbled  ?  "I  say  then,  have  they 
stumbled  that  they  should  fall  ?  God  forbid  :  but  rath- 
er through  their  fall  salvation  is  come  unto  the  Gen- 
tiles, for  to  provoke  them  to  jealousy.  Now,  if  the  fall 
of  them,  be  the  riches  of  the  world,  and  the  diminish- 
ing of  them,  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles  ;  how  much 
more  their  fulness  ?  For  if  the  casting  away  of  them 
be  the  reconciling  of  the  world,  what  shall  the  receiv- 
ing of  them  be  but  life  from  the  dead. — For  if  thou 
wert  cut  out  of  the  olive-tree,  which  is  wild  by  nature 
and  wert  grafted  contrary  to  nature  into  a  good  olive- 
tree,  how  much  more  shall  they,  which  be  the  natural 
branches  be  grafted  into  their  own  olive-tree  ?  For  I 
would  not  brethren,  that  ye  should  be  ignorant  of  this 
mystery  (lest  ye  should  be  wise  in  your  own  conceit,) 
that  blindness  in  part  is  happened  to  Israel  until  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Gentiles  be  come  in.  And  so  all  Israel  shall 
be  saved  ;  as  it.  is  written,  there  shall  come  out  of  Sion 
the  deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Ja- 
cob. For  this  is  my  covenant  unto  them,  when  I  shall 
take  away  their  sins.  As  concerning  the  gospel,  they 
are  enemies  for  your  sakes :  but  as  touching  the  elec- 
tion, they  are  beloved  for  the  fathers'  sake.  For  the 
gifts  and  calling  of  God,  are  without  repentance.  For 
as  ye  in  times  past,  have  not  believed  God,  yet  have 
now  obtained  mercy  through  their  unbelief;  even  so 
have  these  also  now  not  believed,  that  through  your 
mercy  they  also  may  obtain  mercy.  For  God  hath 
concluded  them  all  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  have 
mercy  upon  all !"     On  such  luminous  testimony  as 


140  BALLOTS     LECTURES. 

this,  comment  is  needless.  With  less  blindness  than 
that  which  happened  to  Israel,  no  one  can  avoid  see- 
ing that  it  was  the  design  of  the  inspired  author  to 
prove  that  the  Jews'  blindness  was  advantageous  to 
the  gentile  world,  and  that  they  would  eventually  be 
the  happy  partakers  of  that  grace  which  was-  revealed 
to  the  Gentiles  by  means  of  their  blindness.  The 
hearer  will  carefully  observe  the  connexion  between 
this  subject  and  the  one  treated  of  in  our  last  lecture, 
and  examine  the  whole  of  this  chapter  on  the  moment- 
ous subject  of  this  inquiry  by  which  he  may  see  the 
glorious  light  which  caused  the  Apostle  to  exclaim; 
"  O  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and 
the  knowledge  of  God  !  How  unsearchable  are  his 
judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out !" 

By  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  election  we  have  been 
taught  to  believe,  that  the  remnant  according  to  the 
election  of  grace,  of  which  the  Apostle  speaks  in  our 
context,  "the  election"  of  which  he  speaks  in  our  text 
were  all  that  were  the  beloved  objects  of  divine  mercy 
of  the  whole  house  of  Israel  ;  and  that  they  who  were 
blinded,  were  predestinated  from  eternity  to  endless 
darkness  and  misery.  But  by  the  evident  sense  of  the 
divine  testimony  on  this  subject  we  have  ample  evi- 
dence to  believe,  what  has  been  so  fully  proved,  that 
"  all  Israel  shall  be  saved."  Those  blinded  Jews  were 
the  objects  of  the  Saviour's  grace  as  much  as  those 
who  were  chosen  to  receive  and  preserve  the  know- 
ledge of  him.  They  were  those  of  the  family,  who,  it 
was  necessary  should  be  ignorant  of  the  truth  which 
was  revealed  to  others  of  the  same  family  for  the  ben- 
efit of  all.  Our  blessed  Saviour  manifested  towards 
those  blinded  Jews,  the  most  tender,  affectionate  re- 
gard. His  pity  for  them  melted  him  into  tears,  he 
wept  over  them  with  as  much  tenderness  as  Joseph 
wept  over  his  brethren. 

St.  Paul  was  one  of  the  family  who  was  for  some 
time  blinded  ;  during  which  time  he  was  active  in  as- 
sisting his  brethren  who  also  were  blind,  in  prosecut- 
ing their  persecutions  against  the  enlightened  disciples 
of  Jesus.     He  was  afterward  himself,  brought  to  know 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  141 

the  truth,  to  understand  the  mystery  of  the  wis- 
dom and  goodness  of  God  in  blinding  the  Jews, 
and  he  ever  seemed  to  be  exercised  with  a  spirit  and 
disposition  of  compassion  for  his  brethren  according  to 
the  flesh. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  10th  chapter  of  this  epistle 
he  expresses  himself  as  follows  ;  "  Brethren,  mv  heart's 
desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that  they 
might  be  saved."  In  the  beginning  of  the  9th  chap- 
ter he  has  the  following  indication  of  most  fervent  be- 
nevolence ;  "  I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my 
conscience  also  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  I  have  great  heaviness  and  continual  sorrow  of 
heart.  For  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accursed, 
from  Christ,  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen  according 
to  the  flesh."  Christian  hearer,  when  you  were  asked, 
on  supposition  you  were  one  of  the  family  that  was  en- 
lightened in  certain  matters  concerning  which  your 
brethren  were  in  the  dark,  if  you  might  not  feel  will- 
ing to  exchange  circumstances  with  the  unenlightened, 
did  you  not  feel  an  assent  to  the  question  ?  And  does 
it  not  seem  that  this  was  the  exact  case  of  the  Apos- 
tle ?  He  knew  that  he  was  chosen  of  God,  enlight- 
ened by  the  Saviour,  made  a  vessel  of  mercy,  and  or- 
dained to  the  work  of  the  ministry  for  no  good  that  he 
had  done.  It  was  not  possible,  therefore,  that  with  all 
this  knowledge,  he  could  feel  unmerciful  towards  his 
brethren,  who  remained  exactly  in  the  situation  from 
which  the  grace  of  God  had  taken  him.  It  was  there- 
fore, with  unspeakable  satisfaction,  that  he  anticipated 
the  happy  event  of  the  turning  away  of  ungodliness 
from  Jacob,  and  the  salvation  of  all  Israel. 

Brethren,  though  a  regret  is  felt  that  better  justice 
has  not  been  done  to  the  weighty  subject  under  con- 
sideration, yet  a  hope  is  entertained  that  you  clearly 
see,  that  the  blindness  of  those  Jews  who  were  not  of 
the  elect  spoken  of  in  our  text,  was  designed  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Gentile  world  ;  and  that  when  their 
blindness  shall  have  effected  all  for  which  it  was  de- 
signed in  the  wisdom  of  God,  it  will  be  removed,  and 
the  blinded  will  be  saved  in  Sion's  deliverer.    And  fur- 


142  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

thermore,  that  the  elected  ones  were  chosen,  not  for 
their  benefit  alone,  but  for  the  good  likewise  of  those 
who  were  not  elected. 

We  may  now  look  for  a  moment,  and  see  if  this  doc- 
trine of  election  agrees  with  the  scriptures  generally 
and  with  reason.  The  doctrine  of  election  according 
to  the  views  we  have  taken  of  it,  supposes  that  those 
who  are  elected,  are  elected  for  the  benefit  of  those 
who  are  not  elected.  The  prophet  Isaiah  in  the  42d 
chapter  speaks  of  an  elect  of  God  as  follows  ;  '  Be- 
hold my  servant,  whom  I  uphold  ;  mine  elect,  in  whom 
my  soul  delighteth :  I  have  put  my  Spirit  upon  him ; 

he   shall  bring  forth  judgment  to  the  Gentiles. 1 

the  Lord  have  called  thee  in  righteousness,  and  will 
hold  thine  hand,  and  will  keep  thee,  and  give  thee  for 
a  covenant  of  the  people  for  a  light  of  the  Gentiles ; 
to  open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the  prisoners  from 
the  prison,  and  them  that  sit  in  darkness  out  of  the 
prison-house."  This  elect  of  God  is  the  Lord  Jesus, 
the  Saviour  of  the  world,  of  whom  the  Apostle  John 
says  ;  "  we  have  seen  and  do  testify  that  the  Father 
sent  the  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world."  This 
elect  of  God  is  the  One  Mediator  between  God  and 
men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  gave  himself  a  ran- 
som for  all  to  be  testified  in  due  time."  Thus  it  is 
evident  that  this  elect  was  designed  for  the  benefit  of 
the  whole  world. 

The  Saviour  also  himself  had  an  elect.  He  chose 
his  Apostles  and  ordained  them  to  preach  his  grace 
and  salvation  to  the  whole  world.  "  Go  ye  into  all 
the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature." 
This  elect  therefore,  was  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole 
world. 

Being  one  of  the  elect,  and  having  received  a  dis- 
pensation of  the  gospel  of  reconciliation,  St.  Paul  said 
to  the  Romans,  "  I  am  a  debtor  both  to  the  Greeks 
and  to  the  Barbarians,  both  to  the  wise  and  to  the  un- 
wise." Here  we  see  that  what  the  world  lacked,  the 
Apostles  of  Jesus  had  for  it,  what  the  wise  and  the  un- 
wise lacked  St.  Paul  had  for  them.  The  Apostles  were 
not  chosen  to  be  the  exclusive  pai  takers  of  the  grace 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  143 

which  they  received,  but  were  commanded  by  the  di- 
vine Master  to  bestow  as  freely  on  others,  as  they  had 
received.  It  seems  a  fair  conclusion  from  the  facts 
noticed,  that  the  grace  of  God  which  is  specially  com- 
municated to  his  elect  is  ultimately  designed  as  much 
for  those  who  are  not  elected  as  for  those  who  are. 

This  doctrine  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  dictates 
of  reason  and  is  analogous  with  the  prudent  manage- 
ment of  civil  community. 

In  all  societies  a  few  are  elected  for  the  benefit  of 
the  whole.  They  are  never  chosen  to  monopolize  all 
the  blessings  of  society  to  themselves,  but  to  make  as 
equal  a  distribution  of  burdens  and  favors,  of  expenses 
and  profits  as  possible.  Look  at  the  elected  officers 
of  the  town  ;  they  see  for  the  blind,  they  hear  for  the 
deaf,  they  walk  for  the  lame,  they  have  wealth  for  the 
poor,  they  provide  for  those  who  cannot  provide  for 
themselves.  Notice  every  officer  in  the  general  gov- 
ernment of  our  country,  up  to  the  presidency;  men 
are  elected  to  fill  all  these  places,  not  for  their  ex- 
clusive benefit,  but  for  the  good  of  the  whole  union. 

Let  us  ask,  where  in  the  vast  creation,  did  the  wis- 
dom of  this  world  iind  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion and  reprobation  ?  Does  the  sun  shine  to  light 
himself  alone  ?  Are  his  fervid  beams  designed  to 
warm  his  own  bosom  only  ?  And  in  the  mild  rays  of 
the  queen  of  night  does  she  alone  rejoice  ?  Do  winds 
blow  to  refresh  themselves  ?  Are  rivers  designed  for 
their  own  benefit  ?  What  element,  what  vegetable, 
what  animal  exists  for  itself  only  ? 

"All  are  but  parts  of  one  stupendous  whole, 
Whose  body  nature  is,  and  God  the  soul." 

To  conclude.  Let  us  duly  notice  the  moral  tenden- 
cy of  divine  truth,  as  seen  in  the  subject  under  con- 
sideration. God  is  good  to  all,  his  tender  mercies  are 
over  all  his  works.  This  truth  demands  of  every  ra- 
tional being  the  exercise  of  that  diffusive  benevolence 
which  embraces  the  whole  creation.  Those  whom 
God  chooses  to  enlighten  by  his  grace,  while  others 
are  blinded,  are  appointed  to  administer  the  riches  of 


144  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

the  manifold  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  to  such  as 
lack  the  knowledge  of  his  ways.  The  spirit  of  Christ 
is  love  to  enemies,  his  grace  is  the  salvation  of  sinners ; 
if  therefore,  we  partake  of  his  spirit  and  enjoy  his  grace 
we  shall  be  led  thereby  to  love  our  enemies  and  to  ad- 
minister saving  grace  to  those  who  walk  in  sin.  Is  it 
not  a  fact  that  limited  views  of  the  goodness  of  God 
have  limited  the  charity  of  those  who  had  them  ?  and 
have  not  those  opinions,  which  maintain  that  the  Fath- 
er of  our  spirits  will  execute  unspeakable  vengeance 
on  a  large  proportion  of  the  human  family  eternally,  ef- 
fectually hardened  the  hearts  of  those  who  have  been 
led  by  them,  and  rendered  them  in  too  many  instan- 
ces, unreasonable  enthusiasts  and  violent  persecu- 
tors of  those  who  have  not  conformed  to  their  super- 
stitions ? 

Not  only  does  the  impartial  grace  which  we  have 
seen  in  the  doctrine  of  election  lead  us  to  love  all  men, 
and  to  do  good  to  all  men,  but  it  shows  us  that  we  are 
no  better  than  those  who  are  blind  respecting  this  di- 
vine and  glorious  system  of  truth.  This  doctrine  nat- 
urally leads  the  believer  to  pity  the  blindness  of  those 
who  do  not  see ;  but  it  gives  the  consoling  anticipa- 
tion of  the  final  reconciliation  of  all  things  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  It  fills  the  heart  with  grati- 
tude to  God,  who  so  wisely  planned  and  so  gracious- 
ly designed  the  blindness  of  the  house  of  Israel,  that 
thereby  salvation  might  come  unto  the  Gentiles ;  and 
has  so  ordained  in  his  impartial  goodness,  that  the 
blinded  Jews  shall  eventually  obtain  the  mercy  now 
enjoyed  by  the  Gentiles.  Thus  of  the  twain,  the  wis- 
dom of  God  makes  one  new  man,  so  making  peace. 
Therefore  we  read  ;  "  Rejoice  ye  Gentiles  with  his 
people.  And  again,  praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  Gentiles ; 
and  laud  him  all  ye  people." 


LECTURE    XI. 

GOD  RECONCILING  THE  WORLD  UNTO  HIMSELF,  THROUGH 

CHRIST. 

II.  CORINTHIANS,  v.  18,  19,  20. 

And  all  things  are  of  God,  who  hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Jesus 
Chr  st,  and  hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation;  to  wit,  that  God 
was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  tres- 
passes unto  them;  and  hath  committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation. 
Now  then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you 
by  us:  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God. 

It  is  a  peculiar  and  distinguishing  characteristic  of 
the  gospel  dispensation,  that  it  exhibits  a  new  order  of 
things,  brings  the  glad  tidings  of  better  things  than 
were  before  understood,  sheds  a  clearer  light  on  men- 
tal vision  than  was  before  enjoyed,  makes  a  brighter 
manifestation  of  the  gracious  designs  of  the  wisdom  of 
God  than  was  made  by  the  legal  dispensation,  and 
creates  new  views,  new  desires,  and  new  affections  of 
heart.  The  gospel  of  God  our  Saviour,  contemplates 
the  world  of  mankind  as  being  in  a  state  of  death,  from 
which  state  its  divine  efficacies  were  designed  to  quick- 
en man  into  newness  of  life  by  the  spirit  of  truth. 
These  suggestions  seem  to  be  embraced  by  the  Apos- 
tle in  our  context  where  he  says  ;  "  The  love  of  Christ 
constraineth  us,  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead  :  and  that  he  died  for  all, 
that  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth  live 
unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them, 
and  rose  again.  Wherefore,  henceforth  know  we  no 
man  after  the  flesh  ;  yea,  though  we  have  known 
Christ  after  the  flesh,  yet  now  henceforth  know  we 
him  no  more.  Therefore,  if  any  man  be  in  Christ  he 
is  a  new  creature  :  old  things  are  passed  away  ;  behold, 
all  things  are  become  new." 
13 


146  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

Applied  to  the  Jewish  converts,  these  words  of  the 
Apostle  are  designed  to  notice  the  passing  away  of  the 
legal  dispensation  with  all  its  rites,  and  the  introduction 
of  the  better  covenant  and  more  excellent  ministry  of  the 
gospel ;  and  as  they  apply  to  Gentile  believers  they  re- 
regard  the  total  overthrow  of  all  the  idols  and  idol 
worship  among  the  heathen,  and  their  reformation  to 
the  knowledge,  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ. 

To  these  new  things  the  Apostle  alludes  in  our  text, 
and  says  ;  "all  things  are  of  God,  who  hath  reconciled 
us  unto  himself,"  &c. 

The  first  particular  subject  of  our  text  is  what  is  em- 
braced in  the  reconciliation  of  the  ambassadors  of 
Christ  to  God.  Concerning  this  subject  the  Apostle's 
testimony  makes  the  following  things  evident.  1st. 
That  they  had  been  in  a  state  of  unreconciliation.  2. 
That  the  whole  process,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end 
of  the  work  of  their  reconciliation  was  of  God.  3d. 
That  this  work  was  effected  by  Jesus  Christ.  Per- 
haps no  man  was  ever  more  unreconciled  to  God,  to 
Christ,  or  to  the  gospel  than  the  author  of  our  text  had 
been  ;  and  it  was  well  known  to  him  that  he  was  not 
the  author  of  those  means  by  which  he  became  recon- 
ciled. He  well  knew  that  the  knowledge  of  Jesus,  in 
the  excellency  of  which  he  afterward  so  much  rejoiced 
was  by  no  means  the  object  of  his  enquiry  or  pursuit  at 
the  time  and  on  the  occasion  to  which  he  refers  when 
giving  an  account  of  his  miraculous  conversion  to 
Christianity.  He  often  adverted  to  his  views,  his  de- 
signs, and  to  his  conduct  while  opposed  to  the  gospel, 
but  in  no  instance  did  he  give  any  intimation  that  he 
obtained  the  grace  of  the  Saviour  in  consequence  of 
his  own  faithful  exertions.  Similar  remarks  may  just- 
ly be  made  respecting  the  Apostles  who  were  chosen 
by  our  divine  Redeemer  during  his  personal  ministry. 
Some  he  called  from  a  lucrative  office  under  the  Ro- 
man government,  others  from  the  laborious  employ- 
ment of  fishermen  ;  but  it  is  evident  that  the  Saviour 
made  his  own  selections  without  regard  to  the  wisdom 
or  will  of  his  chosen,  for  he  informed  them  as  follows  ; 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  147 

K  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen  you;  that 
you  should  go  and  bring  forth  fruit."  Indeed  there  is 
an  evident  absurdity  in  the  supposition  that  God  re- 
conciles any  to  himself  on  account  of  their  good  works, 
for  those  who  are  obedient  unto  righteousness  are  not 
unreconciled  to  God.  For  want  of  making  proper 
distinctions  between  causes  and  effects,  many  well 
meaning  and  pious  people  have  maintained  that  the 
divine  favor  is  to  be  obtained  by  the  penitence,  faith, 
and  good  works  of  men  not  discerning  clearly,  that  re- 
pentance, faith  and  good  works  are  the  effects  and  not 
the  causes  of  the  favor  of  God.  Let  us  here  indulge 
a  simile.  A  number  of  children,  at  that  age  when 
passions  and  fancy  are  vastly  more  powerful  than  rea- 
son and  solid  judgment,  leave  the  paternal  mansion, 
disgusted  at  the  rules  of  prudence,  industry  and  econ- 
omy established  in  the  domestic  circle,  in  quest  of  fan- 
cied pleasures  in  the  indulgence  of  those  passions 
which  grow  restless  under  restraint.  The  race  is 
short ;  they  soon  fall  into  wretchedness  and  want,  but 
do  not  yet  understand  their  errors.  To  save  them 
from  this  sad  condition  the  still  affectionate  father  un- 
dertakes to  make  such  communications  to  them  as 
may  convince  them  of  the  propriety  of  his  laws,  the 
indispensable  necessity  of  his  prudence  and  econ- 
omy for  the  good  of  his  fanrly,  and  to  reconcile 
them  to  himself.  The  means  which  the  father  uses 
for  the  purpose  mentioned  are  so  wisely  planned, 
and  so  well  executed  that  they  eventuate  in  effecting 
the  deserved  object.  The  children  become  convinced 
of  the  excellency  of  those  laws  and  regulations  at  which 
they  were  so  much  offended,  they  see  the  madness 
and  folly  of  their  wicked  indulgences,  sorrow  of  heart 
and  sincere  repentance  are  effectually  wrought  in 
them,  and  they  finally  return  to  their  gracious  parent 
and  devote  themselves  to  his  service,  which  is  now  no 
longer  grievous,  but  joyous.  Would  it  be  at  all  reason- 
able for  these  reformed  children  to  believe  that  their 
repentance  and  return  to  their  parent  were  means 
which  obtained  the  love  and  good  will  of  their  father  ? 
Surely  it  would  be  most  unreasonable,  for  it  is  evident 


148  BALLOU'S  LECTURES. 

that  the  children's  repentance  and  return  were  the  ef- 
fects and  not  the  causes  of  the  parental  kindness.  In 
the  enjoyment  of  all  the  blessings  of  their  father's 
house,  and  with  a  clear  understanding  concerning  all 
these  circumstances,  might  they  not  say  with  great  pro- 
priety, All  things  are  of  our  wise  and  most  merci- 
ful Father,  who  hath  reconciled  us  unto  himself. 

Let  us,  in  the  next  place,  lend  our  attention  to  the 
consideration  of  these  words  in  our  text;  "  and  hath 
given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation."  By  these 
words  we  learn  that  the  same  ministry,  by  which  the 
ambassadors  of  Christ  were  reconciled  to  God,  was 
given  to  them  for  the  purpose  of  reconciling  others  ; 
by  which  the  following  facts  are  clearly  suggested. 
1st.  That  mankind  at  large,  to  whom  the  Apostles 
were  directed  to  preach  the  gospel,  were  in  the  same 
state  of  unreconciliation  in  which  these  ambassadors 
of  Christ  had  been,  and  from  which  the  ministry  of  di- 
vine grace  had  reclaimed  them.  2.  That  the  same  di- 
vine favor,  by  which  these  ambassadors  were  recon- 
ciled to  God,  is  treasured  up  in  the  gospel  ministry 
for  those  who  remain  unreconciled  ;  and  3d.  That 
the  ambassadors  of  Christ  have  nothing  to  administer 
to  the  unbelieving  and  unreconciled  but  such  as  has 
been  administered  to  them,  by  which  they  became  recon- 
ciled to  God.  These  facts  are  evidently  embraced  in 
this  part  of  our  subject  and  deserve  a  careful  attention. 
By  losing  sight  of  these  things,  the  minister  of  the 
word  is  exposed  to  corrupt  it,  and  in  room  of  adminis- 
tering the  pure  gospel  of  reconciliation,  as  it  has  been 
communicated  to  himself,  he  may  imagine  himself  au- 
thorised to  deal  with  others  in  a  very  different  manner 
from  that  in  which  the  divine  favor  was  administered 
to  him. 

Without  any  design  to  trouble  the  feelings  of  those 
who  entertain  sentiments  differing  from  our  own,  but 
with  a  humble  desire  to  reflect  light  on  our  subject, 
let  us  ask  if  we  have  any  information  which  authorizes 
us  to  believe  that  St.  Paul  was  threatened  with  the 
everlasting  vengeance  of  an  incensed,  vindictive  wrath 
unless  he  repented  of  his  sins  and  believed  in  the  Lord 


/ 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  151 

Jesus  ?  It  is  true  the  same  question  may  with  equal 
propriety  be  asked  concerning  all  the  Apostles,  but  the 
single  case  of  St.  Paul,  who  was  the  author  of  the  scrip- 
ture under  consideration,  is  sufficient  to  try  the  ques- 
tion, and  place  the  subject  in  a  clear  light.  The  ac- 
count recorded  in  the  26th  of  Acts,  which  was  solemnly 
given  in  by  the  Apostle  himself,  before  king  Agrippa 
is  so  very  important  in  itself,  and  so  essential  to  the 
present  query  that  the  hearer  will  listen  with  attention 
to  what  may  be  recited  from  it.  After  having  given  a 
particular  relation  of  his  past  life  in  the  Jews'  religion, 
his  full  persuasion  that  he  ought  to  do  many  things 
contrary  to  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  that  he  actually  did 
those  things  shutting  up  the  saints  in  prison  and  giv- 
ing his  voice  against  them  when  they  were  put  to 
death,  punishing  them  oft  in  every  Synagogue  and 
compelling  them  to  blaspheme,  &c.  he  proceeds  as 
follows  ;  "  Whereupon,  I  went  to  Damascus  with  au- 
thority and  commission  from  the  chief  priest,  at  mid- 
day, O  king,  I  saw  in  the  way  a  light  from  heaven, 
about  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  shining  round  about 
me,  and  them  that  journied  with  me.  And  when  we 
were  all  fallen  to  the  earth,  I  heard  a  voice  speaking 
unto  me,  and  saying,  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  Saul, 
Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  It  is  hard  for  thee 
to  kick  against  the  pricks.  And  I  said,  who  art  thou, 
Lord  ?  And  he  said,  I  am  Jesus,  whom  thou  perse- 
cutest. But  arise,  and  stand  upon  thy  feet :  for  I  have 
appeared  unto  thee  for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a 
minister  and  a  witness,  both  of  these  thingswhich  thou 
hast  seen,  and  of  those  things  in  the  which  I  will  ap- 
pear unto  thee  ;  delivering  thee  from  the  people  and 
from  the  Gentiles,  unto  whom  now  I  send  thee,  to 
open  their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that 
they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheritance 
among  them  which  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in 
me."  In  this  most  solemn  and  interesting  account  is 
there  the  least  intimation  of  the  threatening  vengeance 
noticed  in  our  query  ?  Surely  there  is  not.  Indeed 
there  appears  to  have  been  no  conditions  stated  m 


152  BALLOTj's    LECTURES. 

the  case.  Jesus  said  to  Saul ;  "  I  have  appeared  unto 
thee  for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a  minister  and  a 
witness,''  &c.  Jesus  did  not  appear  to  this  persecutor 
to  propose  wh;it  are  now  called  terms  of  grace  and 
conditions  of  salvation,  but  to  make  him  a  minister 
and  a  witness.  And  as  there  were  no  threatnings  nor 
conditions  in  the  ministration  by  which  Saul  was  con- 
verted to  Christianity  and  made  a  minister  of  the  same 
ministry  of  reconciliation,  so  he  was  not  directed  to  go 
to  the  Gentiles  with  threatenings  and  conditions,  but 
he  was  sent  to  them  to  open  their  eyes  and  to  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of 
satan  unto  God."  Jesus  opened  Saul's  eyes,  turned 
him  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  sa- 
tan unto  God,  that  he  might  receive  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  and  inheritance  among  them  who  are  sanctified ; 
and  he  sent  him  to  the  Gentiles  to  work  the  same  on 
them. 

That  the  Apostles  might  be  duly  furnished  with  the 
true  ministry  of  reconciliation  ;  the  word  of  reconcili- 
ation was  committed  to  them  as  designated  in  our  text, 
as  follows  ;  "  That  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto 
them."  This  word  and  ministry  of  reconciliation  does 
not  impute  men's  trespasses  to  them,  but  exercises  the 
means  of  reconciliation  on  them. 

That  this  subject  may  be  understood  according  to 
its  evangelical  principles  the  following  particulars,  which 
are  implied  in  the  words  under  consideration  may  be 
noticed.  1st.  God  is  not  unreconciled  to  sinners  and 
therefore  needs  not  to  be  reconciled  to  them.  2d. 
Sinners  are  unreconciled  to  God,  and  therefore  he  has 
designed  to  reconcile  them  to  himself  by  means  of  the 
gospel  ministry  ;  and  3d.  The  ministry  of  the  gospel 
comes  with  all  the  means  necessary  to  reconcile  sinners 
to  God. 

The  opinion  that  our-  heavenly  Father  became  in- 
imical to  man  in  consequence  of  his  sin  is  not  only  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  sentiment  of  our  text,  but  is 
also  repugnant  to  the  essential  character  of  the  divine 
Being.     How  is  it  possible  to  maintain  that  God  is 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  153 

unchangeable,  the  same  yesterday  to  day  and  forever, 
and  yet  suppose  that  his  disposition  towards  his  crea- 
tures is  changed  by  their  conduct  ?  Again,  it  denies 
the  infinite  knowledge  of  God  to  suppose  that  he  be- 
came unfriendly  to  us  by  reason  of  our  sin ;  for  if  he 
knew  before  he  made  us  that  we  should  fall  into  temp- 
tation and  become  sinful,  he  had  all  the  reason  to  be 
our  enemy  then  that  he  has  had  since.  Moreover  it 
denies  the  divine  goodness  to  allow  that  he  made  a 
being  when  he  knew  that  the  work  of  his  own  hands 
would  incur  his  divine  displeasure.  Indeed,  the  sup- 
position that  our  Father  in  heaven  became  our  enemy 
in  consequence  of  our  sin,  makes  him  to  violate  the 
grand  principle,  which  more  than  any  other,  distinctly 
marks  out  the  law  of  righteousness  expressed  by  the 
Saviour  as  follows  ;  "  I  say  unto  you,  love  your  ene- 
mies, bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that 
hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use 
you,  and  persecute  you  ;  that  ye  may  be  the  children 
of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ;  for  he  maketh  his 
sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sendeth 
the  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust."  As  the  divine 
Teacher,  in  the  passage  here  recited,  notices  the  divine 
Being  in  the  character  of  a  Father,  it  may  be  proper 
to  observe  in  this  place  that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the 
character  of  an  earthly  father  to  become  an  enemy  to 
his  offspring  because  his  child  is  disobedient,  and  sure- 
ly it  would  be  much  more  repugnant  to  the  character 
of  our  heavenly  Father  to  become  unfriendly  to  us  for 
our  faults. 

The  hearer  is  cautioned  against  construing  this  rea- 
soning into  a  supposition,  that  our  heavenly  Father 
will  not  chastise  his  children  for  disobedience,  for  chas- 
tisement is  the  sure  pledge  of  the  father's  love  and 
faithfulness. 

It  may  contribute  to  make  our  subject  still  plainer, 
if  we  inquire  for  the  possible  means  whereby  the 
Creator  could  be  reconciled  to  mankind,  if  he  were 
once  our  enemy.  Will  it  be  said,  that  what  his 
Holy  Child  Jesus  has  done  in  our  world  was  designed 
by  his  Father  to  reconcile  him   to  the  world  ?     Truly, 


154  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

this  has  been  believed,  but  it  is  in  direct  opposition  to 
the  testimony  of  Jesus,  who  said  ;  "  God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who- 
soever believeih  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have  ev- 
erlasting life.  For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the 
world  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the  world  through 
him  might  be  saved.  If  God  send  his  Son  into  the 
world  because  he  loved  it,  he  certainly  did  not  send 
him  into  the  world  to  reconcile  himself  to  those  whom 
he  loved.  It  is  a  thing  at  which  reason  marvels,  that 
learned  men  should  ever  have  been  so  absurd  as  to 
suppose,  that  God  could  use  means  to  reconcile  him- 
self to  his  creatures,  and  that  the  sufferings  of  Jesus 
were  designed  for  this  purpose  ;  for  if  God  loved  us 
he  was  not  unreconciled  to  us ;  and  if  he  did  not  love 
us,  but  was  an  enemy  to  us,  he  would  have  done  noth- 
ing for  our  good. 

Contrary  to  these  notions  of  reconciling  God  to  men 
the  ministry  of  the  gospel  is  designed  to  reconcile  men 
to  God,  by  which  ministry  the  trespasses  of  men  are 
not  imputed  to  them,  but  are  forgiven. 

Let  us  in  the  next  place,  notice  the  efficacies  of  the 
gospel  ministry  to  effect  the  reconciliation  designed  by 
it.  To  understand  this  subject,  it  is  necessary  to 
know  the  cause  of  man's  unreconciliation.  This  is 
his  ignorance  of  the  true  character  of  God.  This  we 
learn  from  St.  Paul's  words,  Ephesians,  iv.  18.  Speak- 
ing of  the  vanity  of  the  Gentiles  and  their  alienations 
he  says ;  '  having  the  understanding  darkened,  being 
alienated  from  the  life  of  God  through  the  ignorance 
that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart." 
Because  this  was  the  situation  of  the  Gentiles,  Jesus 
told  the  Apostle  that  he  sent  him  to  them,  to  open 
their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to  light. 
If  there  were  any  property  of  the  divine  Being,  that  is 
inimical  to  us,  the  more  our  eyes  were  'opened  to  see 
its  nature  the  more  unreconciled  we  should  be  to  it. 
But  as  God  is  infinitely  gracious,  unchangeably  merci- 
ful, and  altogether  lovely,  the  more  our  eyes  are  open- 
ed to  see  and  understand  the  blessed  qualities  of  his 
nature,  the  more  we  arc  reconciled   to  him,  and  the 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  155 

better  we  love  him.  Again,  if  our  nature  were  totally 
opposite  to  the  nature  of  God  and  holiness,  the  more 
we  discovered  of  the  nature  of  God,  the  more  we 
should  be  opposed  to  it. 

The  fact  is,  God  is  the  real  source  of  all  moral,  in- 
tellectual nature,  and  a  knowledge  of  him  is  the  only 
means  by  which  we  can  be  reconciled  to  him,  and  the 
want  of  this  knowledge  is  the  real  cause  of  our  unre- 
conciliation. 

In  consistency  with  these  well  established  facts,  the 
gospel  ministry  brings  the  testimony  and  evidence  of 
the  love  of  God  and  of  his  divine  goodness  to  sinners. 
The  following  is  the  testimony  ;  "  When  we  were  with- 
out strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly. 
For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die  ;  yet 
peradventure  for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to 
die.     But   God  commendeth   his  love   toward  us,  in 

that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us. 

For  if,  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to 
God  by  the  death  of  his  Son  :  much  more,  being  re- 
conciled, we  shall  be  saved   by  his  life. But  God, 

who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wrherewith  he 
loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quick- 
ened us  together  with  Christ. Herein   is    love,  not 

that  we  loved  God  ;  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his 
Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  sins." 

By  such  testimony  it  is  seen,  that  the  ministration 
of  reconciliation  brings,  in  the  most  direct  manner,  the 
love  of  God  to  the  understanding  of  the  sinner,  by 
which  repentance  is  wrought  in  the  heart,  and  the  soul 
brought  to  love  God  ;  for  it  is  the  goodness  of  God 
that  leadeth  to  repentance,  and&gain,  we  are  told,  that 
"  we  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us." 

It  is  contended  by  many  that  it  is  dangerous  to  in- 
form sinners  that  God  is  really  kind  and  merciful  to 
them.  It  is  thought  that  this  information,  if  it  be  true, 
will  tend  to  make  them  worse.  Why  then  do  the 
scriptures  abound  with  such  testimony?  And  again, 
why  did  not  the  manifestation  of  the  love  and  compas- 
sion of  Jesus  to  Saul  make  him  worse?  Jesus  said  to 
him  ;  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutes!  thou  me  ?"  Why 
did  not  this  enemy  of  Christ  reply  ;  I  persecute  you 


156  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

because  you  love  me,  I  hate  your  name  because  in  it 
alone  I  am  sensible  I  have  salvation  :  and  now  as  your 
compassions  fail  not,  and  you  are  determined  to  make 
me  a  minister  of  divine  mercy,  I  am  determined  to 
hate  you  more  and  persecute  you  tenfold  to  what  I 
have  heretofore  ?  If  there  were  no  danger  in  making 
such  a  glorious  display  of  the  goodness  of  God  to  this 
so  great  an  enemy  of  the  gospel,  how  should  it  happen 
that  similar  manifestations  to  sinners  now  should  be 
so  very  dangerous  as  is  represented  by  those  who  are 
the  ministers  of  wrath  and  condemnation  ? 

It  may  be  useful  in  this  place  to  notice  some  of  the 
similes  used  in  scripture  to  represent  the  ministration 
of  reconciliation.  By  the  prophet  Isaiah  Christ  is  call- 
ed a  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  Jesus  said  ; 
"  I  am  the  light  of  the  world,"  and  having  communi- 
cated his  light  to  his  disciples,  he  told  them,  that  they 
were  the  light  of  the  world.  Now  according  to  the 
objection  which  we  have  noticed,  it  is  dangerous  to 
give  light  to  them  who  are  in  darkness,  for  it  may 
make  them  worse.  Jesus  said  ;  "I  arn  the  bread  of 
life."  This  is  the  bread  which  came  down  from  hea- 
ven and  giveth  life  to  the  world  ;  but  it  is  dangerous  to 
give  this  bread  to  sinners,  it  is  thought  it  may  make 
them  worse.  Jesus  represented  the  sinner  by  those 
who  are  sick,  and  himself  as  a  physician.  Will  it  do 
to  say,  it  is  dangerous  to  heal  the  sick  because  it  may 
make  them  worse  ?  No,  these  things  are  not  so. 
Those  who  have  been  delivered  from  the  power  of 
darkness  by  the  true  light,  have  been  thereby  deliver- 
ed from  the  power  of  satan  and  translated  into  the 
kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son.  Those  who  have  eaten 
of  trie  bread  of  God  have  found  it  to  be  spiritual  life, 
and  these  who  have  received  the  healing  balsam  of  the 
divine  Physician  have  felt  the  power  of  sin  to  die  with- 
in them,  and  have  been  reconciled  to  God  through  Jesus 
Christ. 

As  it  may  be  due  to  the  situation  of  some  minds,  we 
may  notice  a  question  which  is  so  often  stated,  viz  :  if 
tli*'  sinner  may  immediately  receive  divine  favor,  when 
and  where  is  he  to  be  punished  for  his  sins?  This 
question  is  made  of  great  concern  by  those  who  be- 


BALLOU'S  LECTURES.  157 

lieve  that  the  gospel  is  a  ministration  of  condemnation. 
But  there  is  one  thing  we  cannot  but  observe  in  those 
who  urge  this  question ;  they  never  ask  when  they, 
themselves,  are  to  be  punished  for  their  sins.  They 
appear  to  have  no  concern  about  this  weighty  question 
as  it  regards  themselves  ;  their  whole  concern  is  about 
sinners.  And  this  concern  is  not  for  fear  they  will  be 
punished,  but  for  fear  they  will  not  be. 

Let  us  return  the  question  to  those  who  bring  it, 
and  ask  them,  when  and  where  are  you  to  receive  the 
punishment  for  your  sins  ?  You  contend,  that  the 
wicked  must  be  punished,  you  are  zealous  to  have 
the  wicked  punished  :  as  Nathan  said  to  David,  "  thou 
art  the  man." 

Turn,  Pharisee?,  thine  eyes  within, 
JNor  further  search  abroad  for  sin. 

When  and  where  was  murderous  David,  king  of  Is- 
rael, punished  for  his  sins  ?  When  and  where  was 
the  author  of  our  text,  "  the  minister  and  witness  "  of 
Jesus,  punished,  for  the  murders  which  he  had  prac- 
tised on  the  innocent  lambs  of  Christ  ?  We  answer 
the  question  and  say,  sin  and  misery  are  inseparably 
united  in  the  nature  of  cause  and  effect.  When  and 
where  we  are  sinful,  then  and  there  we  are  our  own-tor- 
mentors. "  The  way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard — ihere 
is  no  peace  to  the  wicked." 

Look  at  the  nature  of  this  subject.  Jesus  appeared 
to  Saul,  to  make  him  a  minister  and  a  witness,  to  open 
the  eyes  of  the  Gentiles.  But  when  were  these  Gen- 
tiles punished  for  being  blind  ?  The  Apostle  was  to 
turn  the  Gentiles  "  from  darkness  to  light."  But  when 
were  they  punished  for  being  in  the  dark  ?  He  was 
to  deliver  them  from  the  power  of  satan.  But  when 
were  they  punished  for  having  been  under  satan 's 
power  ?  My  brethren,  satan's  yoke  is  a  hard  service, 
his  government  is  tyranical,  and  his  power  is  oppres- 
sive. 

The  reason  why  our  heavenly  Father  has  sent  the 
ministration  of  his  grace  to  reconcile  sinners  to  him- 
self, is,  that  they  may  receive  inheritance  among  them 

14 


158  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

who  are  sanctified.  If  satan's  yoke  were  easy  and  if 
his  burden  were  light,  if  sin  and  happiness  were  con- 
nected, why  should  the  Almighty  wish  to  deprive  his 
creatures  of  this  felicity  ?  And  if  sin  and  all  manner 
of  vice  afford  happiness  to  man  in  this  world,  why  will 
they  not  be  permitted  to  continue  hereafter,  and  there 
continue  the  source  of  human  happiness  ?  There  nev- 
er was  a  deception  that  operated  so  much  to  the  dis- 
advantage of  mankind,  as  that  of  believing  that  happi- 
ness is  to  be  obtained  in  sin.  This  deception  makes 
slaves  of  millions,  who  devote  themselves  to  their  blind 
passions,  and  "  are  dead  while  they  live."  From  this 
deception,  from  this  slavery  and  from  this  death  the 
ministry  of  reconciliation  is  designed  to  deliver  the 
world.  Therefore,  the  ambassadors  of  Jesus,  cry,  as 
in  our  text,  "  we  pray  you,  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  re- 
conciled to  God." 

Reconciliation  to  God,  is  reconciliation  to  his  reveal- 
ed attributes  and  will,  and  consists  in  a  conformity  to 
the  divine  commands.  A  profession  of  religion  may 
be  totally  disconnected  with  the  reconciliation  contem- 
plated in  our  text,  which  is  known,  as  was  suggested 
in  our  introduction,  by  new  views,  new  affections,  and 
new  desires.  If  we  judge  by  their  fruits,  many  have 
professed  the  religion  of  the  Saviour,  who  have  no  dif- 
ferent views  from  what  they  had  before,  only  they  now 
oelieve  that,  they  are  more  righteous  than  their  neigh- 
bours ;  and  remain  as  destitute  of  love  to  their  breth- 
ren of  the  human  family  as  ever.  God  is  love  ;  there- 
fore to  be  reconciled  to  God,  we  must  be  reconciled 
to  this  divine  principle.  God  is  known  to  be  love  to 
all  his  creatures,  because  he  actually  does  good  to  all. 
If  we  love  all  God's  rational  offspring,  as  our  breth- 
ren, we  are  therein  reconciled  to  God.  St.  Paul  says ; 
God  "  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  un- 
to the  knowledge  of  the  truth."  If  this  will  be  in  us, 
and  if  we  can  in  sincerity  pray  for  this  will  to  be  ac- 
complished, we  are  therein  reconciled.  We  are  com- 
manded to  love  our  enemies  and  to  do  to  others  as  we 
would  have  them  to  do  to  us,  in  doing  which,  we  are 
reconciled   to  God.     We  are  commanded  to  forgive 


BALLOTj's     LECTURES.  159 

those  who  trespass  against  us,  in  which  we  resemble 
our  Heavenly  Father  who  was  in  Christ  reconciling 
the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses 
unto  them.  We  are  commanded  to  forgive  one  ano- 
ther, as  God,  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  us.  This 
is  conformity  to  God.  We  are  required  to  do  justly, 
to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with  God  ;  and  in 
so  doing  we  are  reconciled  to  him. 

But  says  our  opposer,  what  if  we  do  not  conform 
to  these  divine  requirements  ?  it  makes  no  difference, 
if  God  loves  all  men,  wills  that  all  should  be  saved^ 
and  does  not  impute  our  trespasses  to  us.  Reply; 
Our  reconciliation  to  God,  and  our  conformity  to  his 
will  and  all  his  requirements  is  the  salvation  which  our 
heavenly  Father  wills  for  us ;  it  is  the  life  which  Jesus 
came  to  give  to  the  world  ;  it  is  heaven,  it  is  joy  and 
peace  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  doctrine  is  the  doc- 
trine of  divine  love,  this  love  is  a  fountain  of  living 
waters,  it  is  that  river  whose  streams  make  glad  the 
city  of  our  God. 


LECTURE    XII. 

ALL    MEN    DRAWN     TO    CHRIST. 

JOHN  xii.  32. 

And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me. 

As  the  time  drew  near  that  the  Lord  of  glory,  the 
mediator  of  the  new  covenant  should  seal  his  testa- 
ment with  his  blood,  there  came  to  his  disciples 
certain  Greeks,  and  said  to  Philip,  Sir,  we  would 
see  Jesus.  Philip  and  Andrew  communicate  this  re- 
quest, to  their  master,  who  in  room  of  either  consent- 
ing to  their  request,  or  of  refusing,  replied  saying, 
"  The  hour  is  come  that  the  Son  of  man  should  be 
glorified.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a  corn 
of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone, 
but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit." 

These  Greeks,  being  Gentiles,  were  not  the  subjects 
of  the  ministry  of  Jesus  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  but  as 
soon  as  he  should  be  put  to  death  in  the  flesh  and  be 
quickened  by  the  Spirit,  then  would  the  gospel  be 
preached  to  the  Gentiles.  Therefore  when  he  was 
told  that  certain  Greeks  desired  to  see  him,  he  spoke 
of  his  being  glorified  in  sending  his  gospel  to  them. 
He  was  the  corn  of  weat  that  abode  alone  until  it  fell 
into  the  ground  and  died  ;  but  after  it  died  and  was 
quickened  it  brought  forth  much  fruit,  "  even  judgment 
unto  the  Gentiles."  The  Saviour  proceeded  to  speak 
of  his  Bufferings,  saying  ;  "  Now  is  my  soul  troubled  ; 
and  what  shall  T  say?  Father,  save  me  from  this 
hour :  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour.  Fath- 
er, glorify  thy  name.     Then  came  there  a  voice  from 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  }Q{ 


heaven,  saying,  I  have  both  glorified  it,  and  will  glori- 
fy it  again.  The  people  therefore  that  stood  by,  and 
heard  it,  said,  that  it  thundered  :  others  said,  an  angel 
spoke  to  him.  Jesus  answered  and  said,  this  voice 
came  not  because  of  me,  but  for  your  sakes.  Now  is 
the  judgment  of  this  world :  Now  shall  the  prince  of 
this  world  be  cast  out.  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from 
the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  Here  ao-ain  it 
seems  evident,  that  the  Redeemer  had  special  allusion 
to  the  request  of  the  Greeks.  As  if  he  had  said  ;  I 
must  die  ;  I  must  be  lifted  up  upon  the  cross  ;  I  must 
be  laid  in  the  silent  house  of  death  ;  I  must  rise  from 
the  dead,  bring  life  and  immortality  to  light  through 
the  gospel ;  then,  not  only  these  few  Greeks  shall  be 
permitted  to  see  me,  but  I  will  send  forth  to  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Gentiles,  and  finally  to  the  Jews,  the  min- 
istry of  reconciliation  by  which  I  will  "  draw  all  men 


unto  me." 


A  few  arguments  will  now  be  directed  to  prove,  that 
all  men  are  the  subjects  of  the  Redeemer's  grace. 
This  point  of  doctrine  is  now  before  the  public  mind, 
and  more  than  any  other  invites  the  attention  of  all 
denominations.  It  is  true,  those  who  preach  a  con- 
trary creed,  endeavor  as  much  as  possible  to  postpone 
the  consideration  of  this  subject,  and  they  use  all  the 
influence  which  they  can  possibly  bring  to  act  on  the 
public  mind,  to  turn  the  attention  of  the  people  from 
a  candid  examination  of  it.  However,  it  very  frequent- 
ly happens,  that  the  efforts  which  are  designed  to  pre- 
vent people  from  looking  into  these  things  excite  their 
curiosity  and  incite  them  more  to  the  examination  than 
if  nothing  was  said  or  done.  If  it  were  a  crime  for  the 
rulers  of  the  Jews  to  associate  with  the  Saviour  and  at- 
tend  on  his  instruction  ;  if  excommunication  awaited 
those  who  should  profess  Christ  openly,  there  was  the 
night  season,  when  the  enemies  of  the  Redeemer  were 
either  locked  up  in  sleep,  or  perhaps  in  superstitious 
conclave,  scoffing  at  the  benign  doctrine,  of  grace  and 
concerting  more  severe  measures  to  prevent  its  spread, 
when  a  Nicodemus,  could  go,  unnoticed  to  Jesus  and 
obtain  a  knowledge  of  salvation.      If  the  wisdom  of 

14* 


162  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

this  world  be  crafty  enough  to  employ  gentle,  sooth- 
ing, and  persuasive  measures  to  quiet  the  people 
in  that  cold  cruel  system  of  partiality  and  endless  mis- 
ery, it  is  only  like  jogging  the  cradle  to  quiet  the  child, 
while  its  cries  increase  with  its  want  of  nourishment. 

This  doctrine  of  universal  salvation,  which  we  pro- 
pose to  prove  in  this  discourse,  seejns  to  be  favored  by 
the  dictates  of  sound  reason,  and  fully  supported  by 
the  evidences  derived  from  the  nature  of  the  manifest 
economy  of  universal  providence. 

If  we  could  do  ourselves  the  justice  to  lay  aside  all 
the  prejudices  of  our  mistaught  minds,  and  open  our 
eyes  to  the  light  of  reason,  and  our  ears  to  the  voice 
of  enlightened  understanding,  we  should  soon  find  our 
minds  engaged  in  the  sweet  contemplations  of  the  im- 
partial goodness  of  the  Supreme  Ruler. 

The  same  creative  power  gave  existence  to  all  men, 
all  are  blessed  by  the  same  munificent  providence,  the 
sun  that  makes  and  rules  the  day,  the  moon  that  rules 
the  night  discovers  no  partiality  in  dispensing  their  fa- 
vors. Do  not  the  rains  fall,  and  the  dews  descend  as 
common  blessings  on  mankind  ?  Is  not  the  vital  air, 
is  not  the  fulness  of  the  waters  the  undivided  inherit- 
ance of  mankind  ?  Is  there  an  element,  is  there  a 
vegetable,  is  there  a  fruit  which  nature  reserves  from 
the  general  store-house  of  him,  who  opens  his  hand 
and  satisfies  the  desire  of  every  living  thing  ? 

Let  us  contemplate  the  unity  of  our  common  nature, 
the  dependence  of  one  on  another,  and  that  eternal  in- 
dissoluble law  by  which  we  are  united.  Notwithstand- 
ing there  is  an  infinite  variety  among  mankind,  there 
is  no  distinction  of  moral  nature ;  nor  is  there  a  genio 
in  the  whole  family  of  man  that  the  philosopher  can 
prove  to  be  useless  and  of  no  advantage  to  others. 
Those  who  are  considered  to  be  the  most  useful  mem- 
bers of  community  frequently  owe  their  means  to  be 
so,  to  them,  who  being  placed  in  the  low  walks  of 
life,  are  scarcely  known  in  society.  What  would 
kings  be  without  subjects  ?  what  would  rulers  be  des- 
titute of  people  ?  Are  not  servants  as  profitable  in 
their  stations  as  their  masters  are  in  theirs  ?  and  aro 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  163 

not  the  rich  and  the  poor  blessings  to  each  other  ? 
The  sacred  connexions  of  husband  and  wife,  of  parents 
and  children,  of  brethren  and  sisters,  if  duly  contemp- 
lated, furnish  a  most  delightful  prospect  of  the  depen- 
dences of  our  common  nature.  In  fact  it  seems  that 
mankind  forms  one  compact,  indissoluble  body,  which 
may  be  represented  by  the  human  frame,  which  can 
lose  none  of  its  members  without  being  rendered  maim- 
ed  and  incomplete. 

It  is  true  the  partial  system  has  driven  men  of  dis- 
cerning minds  to  make  calculations,  that  the  eternal 
separation  of  those,  who  are  in  this  life  united  by  the 
tenderest  ties  of  our  nature,  and  the  indescribable  mi- 
sery of  children  will  occasion  an  increase  of  the  pa- 
rent's happiness,  and  the  endless  misery  of  parents 
will  greatly  increase  the  felicity  of  children  in  the  eter- 
nal world.  But  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  such 
arguments  are  equally  as  hostile  to  every  good  quality 
of  man,  as  the  system  which  they  are  designed  to  de- 
fend is  to  reason  and  revelation.  We  say,  that  men 
of  discerning  minds  have  been  driven  to  argue  thus, 
for  they  can  discern,  that  unless  this  be  the  case,  what 
they  call  heaven  will  be  a  place  of  the  keenest  mental 
torment,  that  can  be  conceived  of.  Losing  sight  of 
nature  and  of  nature's  God,  and  adhearing  to  their 
partial  creed,  many  contend,  that  at  what  they  call  the 
great  day,  parents  will  rejoice  to  see  their  offspring 
turned  away  into  the  burning  lake,  while  other  instan- 
ces will  occur,  in  which  children  will  sing  praises  to 
God  in  the  highest  a ,  seeing  their  parents,  the  inherit- 
ers  of  unspeakable  misery. 

If  we  can  suppress  our  indignation  against  such  un- 
hallowed cruelty,  so  as  to  take  a  deliberate  view  of  a 
faint  simile  we  may  suppose  that  the  sweet  slumbers 
of  a  numeious  family  are  suddenly  interrupted  by  the 
midnight  cry  of  fire.  They  are  roused  from  sleep  amid 
the  smoke  and  flames  of  their  own  dwelling  ;  the  fath- 
er and  several  of  the  eldest  children  but  just  make 
their  escape  from  the  devouring  element,  and  leave 
the  wife  and  mother  with  a  number  of  the  children  to 
perish  in  the  flames.     Now  observe,  the  doctrine  which 


164  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

stands  opposed  to  the  salvation  of  all  men,  and  which 
can  support  itself  at  no  less  expense  then  to  enhance 
the  felicities  of  heaven  by  the  miseries  of  hell,  suppos- 
es that  the  happiness  of  the  husband  and  father,  on 
rinding  himself  safe  from  the  fire,  is  to  be  increased 
by  his  seeing  the  companion  of  his  bosom,  the  mother 
of  his  children,  and  her  little  ones  in  the  flames,  and 
by  hearing  their  lamentable  cries  ;  and  these  children 
who  made  their  escape  are  to  possess  hearts  to  rejoice 
to  see  the  mother  that  watched  over  their  infancy  and 
childhood,  and  their  brothers  and  sisters  perishing  in 
the  most  excruciating  anguish. 

To  wound  your  feelings  with  such  a  simile  as  this, 
on  any  ordinary  subject  would  surely  require  an  apolo- 
gy, but  in  respect  to  the  subject  under  consideration 
our  simile  is  as  dim  as  the  faint  glimmer  of  a  dying  ta- 
per compared  with  the  concentrated  blaze  of  a  thou- 
sand suns.  The  flames  that  destroyed  the  unhappy 
victims  were  merciful  to  terminate  their  sufferings  in 
a  moment,  that  nothing  but  the  remembrance  of  the 
sad  catastrophe  might  remain,  but  the  flames  of  hell 
and  its  "  lively  bright  horrors  "  are  supposed  to  exist 
eternally,  to  gladden  kindred  hearts,  and  to  brighten 
the  joys  of  relative  spirits  forever  and  ever ! 

To  the  eye  of  candid  reason,  it  seems  perfectly 
clear,  that  to  make  an  eternal  separation  of  the  human 
family,  and  to  place  one  part  in  a  state  of  everlasting 
misery,  would  render  the  whole  miserable,  let  the  line 
of  separation  be  drawn  in  one  place  or  another.  If 
the  division  be  made  according  to  the  doctrine  of  par- 
tial election,  without  any  regard  to  the  conduct  of 
men,  the  husband  may  be  chosen,  and  the  wife  a  rep- 
robate ;  in  another  case  the  wife  may  be  chosen,  and 
the  husband  a  reprobate  :  And  this  dividing  line  will 
separate  parents  from  their  children,  and  children  from 
each  other,  and  it  is  as  plain  as  any  thing  can  be  that 
if  one  company  is  appointed  to  a  state  of  misery  the 
other  must  be. 

You  that  are  parents,  you  who  are  brothers  and  sis- 
ters are  called  on  to  judge  of  this  question.  Suppose 
your  nearest  and  dearest  connexions,  as  children  ana 


BALLOu's    LECTURES.  165 

brethren  were  prisoners  in  an  enemy's  land,  and  you 
were  certified  by  letters  from  them,  that  they  were 
treated  in  the  most  cruel  manner;  their  lodging  the 
cold  damp  ground,  their  food  scant  and  unwholesome, 
and  that  there  were  no  hopes  of  their  ever  being  releas- 
ed, could  you  be  happy?  Without  the  least  commisera- 
tion could  you  repose  on  your  beds  of  down,  and  feast 
yourselves  at  your  sumptuous  tables?  All  this  you 
know  to  be  impossible. 

Or  suppose  this  final  separation  is  to  be  made  with 
due  reference  to  the  works  of  men  in  this  world,  this 
alters  not  the  case,  for  we  cannot  be  happy  while  oui 
connexions  suffer  even  for  their  faults. 

If  we  draw  a  reasonable  conclusion  from  the  mani 
fest  goodness  of  God  to  all  men,  in  his  temporal  provi 
dence,  and  if  we  assist  this  conclusion  by  the  consider- 
ations already  suggested  of  the  unity  and  dependence 
of  our  nature,  we  must  decide  in  favor  of  the  proposi- 
tion for  which  we  contend ;  for  it  is  most  unreasona- 
ble indeed  to  suppose,  that  the  system  of  the  Redeem- 
er's grace,  which  derives  its  origin  from  the  same 
source,  from  whence  came  every  principle  of  our  ex- 
istence and  every  favor  of  divine  providence,  is  less 
benevolent  in  its  designs  or  less  efficacious  in  its 
means. 

We  may  now  notice  some  of  the  evidences,  which 
support  the  doctrine  of  universal  grace,  found  in  the 
divine  testimony.  We  say  some  of  the  evidences,  be- 
cause it  would  require  much  time,  and  superior  abili- 
ties to  those  employed  on  this  occasion  to  bring  the 
whole  of  this  sort  of  evidence  into  view.  Indeed  we 
must  be  very  limited  on  this  part  of  our  subject  that 
we  may  avoid  using  too  many  of  the  passages  already 
recited  in  these  lectures  for  the  same  purpose,  and  that 
the  hearer's  patience  be  not  too  much  burdened. 

The  text  under  consideration  may  first  be  noticed. 
In  this  passage  Jesus  promises  to  draw  all  men  unto 
himself.  And  his  testimony  concerning  those  who 
come  to  him  is  as  follows :  "  I  am  the  bread  of  life  ; 
he  that  cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger  ;  and  he  that 
believeth  on  me  shall  never  thirst."     By  this  passage  it 


166  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

is  evident,  that  by  coming  to  him,  and  by  believing  on 
him,  Jesus  meant  the  same  thing.  He  farther  says  ; 
"  Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out — 
No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father,  which 
hath  sent  me,  draw  him  :  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at 
the  last  day.  It  is  written  in  the  prophets,  and  they 
shall  be  all  taught  of  God.  Every  man,  therefore, 
that  hath  heard,  and  hath  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh 
unto  me." 

By  these  passages  we  learn,  that  the  instructions 
and  the  drawings  of  the  Father,  are  the  only  means 
by  which  men  can  come  to  Christ.  They  furthermore 
teach  us,  that  those  who  are,  by  such  means,  drawn  to 
the  Saviour  will  not  be  cast  off.  Thus  the  evidence 
issues  in  a  most  direct  confirmation  of  the  proposition 
to  be  proved. 

St.  Paul,  in  his  first  epistle  to  Timothy  says,  that 
God  "  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  to  come  unto 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth."  And  Jesus  said;  "I 
came  down  from  heaven  ;  not  to  do  mine  own  will, 
but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me."  Suppose  one  of 
you  own  an  hundred  sheep,  and  they  all  break  from 
your  enclosure  and  go  astray,  they  all  enter  into  your 
neighbour's  pasture.  In  room  of  sending  them  home, 
he  endeavors  to  retain  them,  and  uses  all  possible 
means  to  prevent  their  return.  You  direct  your  shep- 
herd to  go  and  seek  and  save  that  which  is  lost.  You 
tell  him,  that  it  is  your  will  that  he  returns  the  whole  ; 
the  shepherd  is  told  by  your  enemy  who  retains  your 
flock  that  he  will  give  up  a  few  of  the  sheep,  but  must 
keep  the  greatest  part.  The  shepherd  replies  ;  I  have 
not  come  to  negociate  for  the  sheep,  I  have  come  to 
do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me.  How  can  this  will  be 
done  and  yet  but  a  few  of  these  sheep  return? 

The  will  of  God  is  further  expressed  by  St.  Paul,  as 
follows ;  "  Having  made  known  unto  us  the  mystery 
of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which  he 
hath  purposed  in  himself:  that  in  the  dispensation  of 
the  fulness  of  times  he  might  gather  together  in  one 
all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and 
which  are  on  earth  ;  even   in   him."     Again  he  says; 


BALLOIj's    LECTURES.  167 

"Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and 
given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name  ;  that  hi 
the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things  in 
heaven  and  things  on  earth,  and  things  under  the 
earth  ;  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Je- 
sus Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father." 
And  furthermore  he  says  :  "  For  it  pleaseth  the  Fa- 
ther, that  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell,  (and  having 
made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross)  by  him  to 
reconcile  all  things  unto  himself;  by  him,  I  say,  whe 
ther  they  be  things  on  earth,  or  things  in  heaven." 
To  these  we  may  subjoin  the  passage  we  treated  of  in 
our  last  lecture  ;  "  And  all  things  are  of  God,  who 
hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and 
hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  ;  to  wit, 
that  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  him- 
self, not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them.  And 
hath  committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation. 
Now  then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though 
God  did  beseech  you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's 
stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God :  for  he  hath  made  him 
to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be 
made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  If  the  hear- 
er will  allow  these  and  concurrent  passages  their  nat- 
ural agreement  and  signification  they  must  be  consid- 
ered sufficient  evidence  to  prove  that  the  design  of  the 
Saviour's  grace  is  the  salvation  of  all  men. 

Another  argument  in  favor  of  our  proposition,  and 
which  is  thought  to  be  sufficient  of  itself  to  establish 
it,  is  drawn  from  the  revealed  fact  that  it  is  consistent 
with  the  holiness  of  God  for  him  to  love  sinners  and 
to  bestow  the  greatest  possible  favors  upon  them. 
The  scripture  informs  us  that  "  God  commendeth  his 
love  towards  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners, 
Christ  died  for  us."  And  again  ;  "  But  God,  who  is 
rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love,  wherewith  he  loved 
us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened 
us  together  with  Christ."  Now  if  it  be  consistent 
with  the  holiness  of  God  for  him  to  love  those  who  are 
dead  in  sin,  and  to  commend  his  love  to  such  by  the 
death  of  Christ  for  them,  and  to  quicken  them  togeth- 


158  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

er  with  Christ,  it  proves  beyond  all  controversy  that 
sin  is  no  objection  to  God's  granting  his  grace  and  sal- 
vation to  men.  Standing  in  the  light  of  this  glorious 
truth,  and  feeling  the  life  of  the  spirit  of  this  grace, 
who  can  be  so  hard-hearted  as  to  sentence  millions  of 
their  fellow  sinners  to  endless  darkness  and  wo?  In 
this  spirit  of  love  and  grace  it  seems  the  divine  Re- 
deemer stood,  when  he  said;  "And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up 
from  the  earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  It  is 
granted  on  all  hands,  that  God  can  never  change  ;  he 
is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.  Yesterday 
and  to-day  he  was  and  is  the  friend  and  lover  of  sin- 
ners. How  then  is  it  possible  that  he  should  ever 
cease  to  love  these  beings  and  to  do  them  good  ? 

This  argument  provokes  the  Pharisee  to  start  the 
old  trite  objection,  that  the  doctrine  leads  to  licentious- 
ness.    This  objection,  though  it  has  been  fairly  re- 
moved hundreds  of  times,  will  never  leave  the  world 
as  long  as  a  Pharisee  remains  in  it.     If  the  manifesta- 
tion of  the  divine  love  to  sinners  have  a  natural  ten- 
dency to  encourage  them  in  sin,  why  did  God  com- 
mend his  love  unto  us,  in  that  while  we  were  yet  sin- 
ners, Christ  died  for  us  ?     Why  are  those  blessings  of 
the  divine  Providence,  to  which  the   Saviour  adverted 
for  proof  that  God  loves  his  enemies,  continually,  and 
with  such  profusion  scattered   down  upon  us?     Are 
we  serving  the  cause  of  religion  and  moral  virtue  by 
persuading  people  10  believe  that  the  goodness  of  God 
naturally  leads  men  to  sin.     My  brethren,  should   you 
believe  me  your  friend  if  I  persuaded  your  children  to 
the   opinion,  that  if  you  love  them,  notwithstanding 
their  faults,  it  is  no  matter  what  they  do,  and  that  it  is 
even  better  for  them   to  violate  all  your  wholesome 
laws,  and  to  treat  your  advice  and  admonitions  with 
contempt  ?     Surely  if  there  be  any  such  thing  as  a 
heinous  sin  in  our  world,  we  have  it  here  under  con- 
sideration.    Because  our  heavenly  Father  gives  us  life 
and  all  the  numerous  blessings  of  life  must  we  improve 
all  his  favors  to  dye  our  souls  in   the  crimson  of  sin  ? 
Because  Jesus  hath  loved  us  and  given  himself  for  us, 
is  there  no  way  we  can  act  like  reasonable  beings  only 


\ 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  169 


by  hating  him  and  disobeying  his  commands  ?  O  in- 
gratitude !  legitimate  child  of  the  Pharisee,  retire,  cold 
and  unfeeling,  to  the  frosty  bosom  from  whence  thou 
hast  come. 

It  has  already  been  suggested,  that  by  coming  unto 
Christ  is  meant,  beinsj  taught  of  God  and  believing 
in  Christ,  and  this  was  seen  by  the  words  of  Christ; 
and  this  was  seen  by  the  words  of  Christ  in  the  6th  of 
John,  which  have  been  quoted.  They  therefore,  who 
come  to  Jesus,  come  to  him  in  their  understanding; 
they  receive  him  as  their  prophet  to  teach  them,  their 
priest,  who  offered  himself  for  the  sinner,  without  spot 
unto  God,  and  as  a  king  to  rule  them.  The  blessings 
enjoyed  in  consequence  of  coming  to  Christ  are  ex- 
pressed in  his  most  gracious  words,  recorded  in  Matt, 
xi.  ;  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon 
you,  and  learn  of  me  ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart ;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls.  For  my 
yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light."  How  lovely 
does  the  Saviour  appear  in  his  gracious  invitations  and 
promises.  He  invites  all  to  come  to  him  ;  he  promises 
to  draw  all  men  to  him ;  he  promises  to  give  them  all 
rest  and  an  easy  service  ;  he  promises  that  he  will  in  no 
wise  cast  any  out. 

Well  did  the  dear  Redeemer  say ;  "  I  will  draw  all 
men  unto  me.  The  doctrine  of  Jesus  is  perfectly 
calculated  to  draiv  men.  It  holds  up  to  view  those 
virtues  and  those  advantages  which  are  powerful  at- 
tractions. In  the  passage  just  recited,  those  who  are 
heavv  laden  are  promised  rest.  What  can  be  more 
inviting  to  any  who  have  for  a  long  time  labored 
under  an  intolerable  burden,  than  an  opportunity 
to  cast  it  off,  and  to  enjoy  rest  ?  Suppose  men  were 
in  bondage  and  hard  servitude,  as  were  the  Israelites 
in  "Egypt,  oppressed  with  severe  taskmasters  and  made 
to  serve  with  the  most  cruel  rigor  ;  and  a  humane, 
benevolent  prince  should  ransom  them  all,  and  invite 
them  into  his  country,  where  they  should  have  all  things 
they  wanted  without  money  and  without  price,  where 
no  law  but  the  perfect  law  of  liberty  exists,  where  they 
15 


170  BALLOU'S    LECTURES 

would  have  no  service  to  perform  but  such  in  which 
they  should  have  perfect  delight  and  freedom,  would 
not  a  clear  manifestation  of  these  facts  draw  them  away 
from  the  tyrant  to  their  kind  deliverer  and  Saviour? 
Would  it  be  necessary  to  threaten  them,  and 
preach  up  terror  to  them  ?  Would  it  be  proper  to 
tell  them  that  the  person  who  had  ransomed  them 
would  come  and  put  them  to  the  most  cruel  tortures 
if  they  did  not  immediately  enter  into  his  service  ? 
Under  all  these  circumstances,  would  it  be  neces- 
sary to  tell  these  miserable  wretches,  that  it  is  true 
their  present  services  are  very  light,  merely  noth- 
ing in  comparison  with  the  service  of  the  prince  who 
had  purchased  them,  but  then  this  prince  would  pun- 
ish them  all  with  the  most  cruel  tortures  if  they  should 
not  enter  his  service  without  delay  ?  If  any  thing 
could  possibly  operate  to  deceive  these  redeemed 
ones,  and  to  keep  them  in  slavery  it  must  be  some 
such  deceit.  As  certain  as  they  should  be  made  to 
believe  such  falsehoods,  they  would  make  nice  calcula- 
tions not  to  go  into  the  hated  service  any  sooner  than 
just  to  escape  the  tortures  threatened.  But  suppose 
they  should  go  to  this  person  in  consequence  of  these 
threatenings,  they  would  not  be  drawn,  they  would 
be  driven.  Jesus  did  not  say,  I  will  drive  all  men  to 
me.  If  we  were  to  judge  by  some  preaching  that  we 
hear,  we  should  suppose  the  preachers  were  sent  to 
drive  us  to  heaven,  in  the  greatest  haste  too,  for  fear 
our  Redeemer  would  destroy  us  ? 

The  Saviour  says  in  the  6th  of  John,  as  before  quot- 
ed ;  ;'  I  am  the  bread  of  life ;  he  that  cometh  to  me 
shall  never  hunger."  What  is  more  drawing  to  the 
destitute,  foodless  poor  than  the  gladsome  news  of 
bread,  without  money  and  without  price  ?  Suppose 
such  a  famine  as  was  in  Egypt  and  all  the  countries 
round  about  it  should  visit  the  United  States,  the  pro- 
visions of  the  land,  after  the  most  prudent  measures 
had  been  taken,  is  nearly  exhausted,  pale  hunger  makes 
its  appearance  on  all  faces,  and  the  wisest  know  of  no 
relief;  at  this  awful  crisis  a  large  fleet  from  a  foreign 
country  arrives  with  vast  quantities  of  bread  as  a  pres- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  171 

ent  to  us !  how  would  it  draw  the  people.  In  what 
crowds  would  they  rush  along  the  streets ;  how  would 
every  eye  and  every  countenance  brighten  with  glad- 
ness. In  such  a  circumstance  as  this  what  should  we 
think  of  a  man  who  should  come  forward  and  say ; 
"  I  am  sent  by  the  monarch  who  has  sent  you  bread, 
to  warn  you  to  apply  immediately  for  his  bounty  that 
you  may  escape  his  vengeance  ?  And  what  should  we 
think  of  the  people  who  should  spend  their  time  to 
hear  these  terrors  proclaimed  ?  In  such  a  time  of  fa- 
vor and  rejoicing,  would  it  be  seemly  to  stop  the  hun- 
gry and  tell  them  they  have  no  right  to  the  free  boun- 
ty that  has  arrived  unless  they  really  believe  in  this  act 
of  goodness  ?  Would  it  be  thought  indispensably  ne- 
cessary to  have  a  creed  written,  with  well  studied  ar- 
ticles to  the  number  of  thirty-nine,  for  the  people  all 
to  learn  by  heart  before  they  should  be  allowed  to 
taste  the  bread  of  life  ?  Would  it  be  treating  those, 
who  were  fainting  for  want  of  food,  according  to  the 
benevolent  designs  of  the  gracious  donor  of  these  am- 
ple provisions,  to  prevent  their  receiving  this  unpur- 
chased, unconditional  favor,  by  suggesting  conditions, 
terms,  and  articles  of  faith  to  be  complied  with  and 
believed?  Suppose  the  articles  are  all  made  out 
according  to  the  wisdom  of  him,  who  urges  their 
necessity,  but  the  people  cannot  understand  them. 
Some  are  mysterious,  some  are  in  direct  opposition 
to  others ;  one  explains  them  in  one  way ;  and  an- 
other explains  them  in  another  way,  many  profess  to 
believe  them  because  they  are  told  that  they  cannot 
obtain  favor  unless  they  do.  Those  who  should  be- 
lieve in  this  case  might  believe  themselves  to  death, 
and  close  their  eyes  without  seeing  the  salvation  which 
mercy  had  sent  them  :  others,  whose  minds  should  re- 
volt at  a  creed  which  contains  contradictions,  would 
be  turned  away  as  unbelievers,  and  fare  no  better  than 
those  who  believe. 

Jesus  says  ;  "  If  any  man  thirst  let  him  come  unto  me 
and  drink."  The  unfortunate,  who  have  suffered  hun- 
ger and  thirst  in  sultry  climes,  inform  us  the  want  of 
drink  is  vastly  more   severe  than  the   want   of  food 


172  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

Here  then  the  merciful  Saviour  makes  use  of  a  simile 
which  gives  the  most  striking  idea  of  his  goodness. 
Of  a  number  of  faint,  weary,  hungry,  and  thirsty  pil- 
grims, on  burning  sands,  if  one  should  cry  out  to  his 
fellows,  here  is  water !  How  quickly  would  it  draw 
them  all  together. 

The  prophet  Isaiah,  speaking  of  Jesus,  says  ;  "  A 
man  shall  be  an  hiding  place  from  the  wind,  and  a 
covert  from  the  tempest;  as  a  river  of  water  in  a  dry 
place:  as  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land." 
How  very  inviting,  how  attracting  how  drawing  are 
the  favors  here  noticed.  The  beasts  of  the  field 
and  the  fowls  of  the  air  seek  these  favors.  When 
storms  and  winds  beat  on  them,  they  seek  a  shelter; 
when  they  are  thirsty  you  find  them  by  the  streams ; 
and  when  a  sultry  sun  is  vehement  you  find  them  in 
the  shade.  Do  you  ask  what  these  things  mean  ?  Do 
you  inquire  how  you  can  obtain  so  great  a  favor  ?  The 
word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  heart  and  in  thy  mouth. 
Jesus  is  made  unto  us,  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctifi- 
cation,  and  redemption.  To  be  drawn  to  Christ  is  to 
be  drawn  into  wisdom,  whose  ways  are  pleasantness 
and  all  her  paths  are  peace.  It  is  to  be  drawn  into 
righteousness,  which  is  heaven.  It  is  to  be  drawn  into 
sanctification,  which  is  holiness.  It  is  to  be  drawn 
into  redemption,  which  is  freedom  from  the  law  of  sin 
and  death.  O  Jesus,  how  great  is  thy  promise  !  Thou 
wilt  draw  all  men  unto  thyself.  Then  shall  every  crea- 
ture which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under 
the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  which  are 
in  them  ;  say,  blessing  and  honnor,  and  glory,  and 
power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and 
unto  the  Lamb  forever  and  ever. 


LECTURE  XIII. 

CHRIST    SOWING    THE    GOOD    SEED,    IN    TEARS. 

PSALM  cxxvi.  6. 

He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed  shall,  doubtless, 
come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with  him. 

Divine  wisdom  has  seen  fit,  that  the  commence- 
ment of  those  affairs  which  are  designed  to  terminate 
in  great  and  extensive  blessings  to  mankind,  should  be 
distinguished  for  the  hardships,  painful  labors,  extreme 
difficulties,  privations,  uncommon  sufferings,  sorrow 
and  tears  which  attend  them.  This  remark  will  be 
found  to  be,  generally,  appropriate,  whether  applied 
to  political  or  religious  concerns,  and  is  often  justified 
by  the  experience  of  individuals.  This  sentiment  seems 
symbolically  expressed  in  our  text  and  its  introduction. 
To  represent  the  reverse  of  condition  which  Zion  ex- 
perienced by  a  deliverance  from  captivity,  the  prophet 
says ;  "  When  the  Lord  turned  again  the  captivity  of 
Zion,  we  were  like  them  that  dream.  Then  was  our 
mouth  filled  with  laughter,  and  our  tongue  with  sing- 
ing :  then  said  they  among  the  heathen,  the  Lord  hath 
done  great  things  for  them.  The  Lord  hath  done 
great  things  for  us,  whereof  we  are  glad.  Turn  again 
our  captivity,  0  Lord,  as  the  streams  in  the  south. 
They  that  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy.  He  that  go- 
eth forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed  shall, 
doubtless,  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his 
sheaves  with  him.v 

From  the  scanty  portion  of  grain,  on  which  the  hus- 
bandman depends  to  bread  his  dependent  family,  he 
takes  a  selected  portion,  and  having  with  much  labor 
prepared  his  field,  he  commits  the  precious  seed  to  the 

15* 


i«74  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

bosom    of  the  earth.     His  fears  anticipate    drought, 
blasts,  and  mildews  ;  his  hope  endures,  as  seeing  things 
that  are  invisible,  and  locks  forward  to  the  time   when 
heaven  shall  reward  his  toils  with  a  joyful  harvest,  and 
return  him  thirty,  sixty  or  an  hundred  fold.     The  au- 
tumn comes  and  brings  the  golden  harvest,  and  plenty 
calls  for  songs  of  gratitude  and  joy.     But  to  the  eye 
of  inexperience  how    mysterious  would   this  appear. 
The  portion  of  bread  corn  is  already  scant,  and   the 
husband  of  a  numerous  family  takes  part  of  this  and 
buries  it  in  the  earth.     It  appears  as  an   unreasonable 
waste.     Thus  we  frequently  judge  of  the  ways  of  di- 
vine Providence  ;  and  are  led  to  ^ay,  if  God  were  good 
to  his  creatures,  why  should  such  and  such  things  be 
permitted  to  wound     our   tenderest  feelings?     Why 
should  such  sorrows  be  sent  as  the  inheritance  of  the 
oppressed,  the  innocent,  and  the  defenceless  ?     Not 
being  able  to  see  the  end  from  the  beginning  of  events, 
we  are  often  misguided  in  judgment,  and  entertain 
doubts  of  the  divine  goodness  towards  us.     But  could 
we  comprehend    the  mysterious  wisdom  of  God  by 
which  he  turns  every  thing  to  the  good  of  hir  creatures, 
causing  light  afflictions,   which  are  but  for  a  moment, 
to  work  for  us  an  exceeding  weight  of  glory,  we  should 
at  once  conclude,  that  the  measure  of  evil  endured  by 
the  creatures  of  God,  is  as  nothing  when  compared 
with  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in  us,  and  which 
can  be  traced  back  to  those  afflictions,   which,  during 
their  continuance,  were  grievous. 

These  introductory  observation  seem  to  lead  the 
mind  into  an  extensive  field,  where  an  infinite  variety 
of  objects  invite  our  attention  to  the  contemplation  of 
the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God,  in  causing  light  to 
shine  out  of  darkness,  order  to  grow  out  of  what  ap- 
pears to  us  confusion,  peace  of  mind  from  sorrow  of 
heart,  tranquillity  out  of  trouble,  prosperity  out  of  ad- 
versity, in  a  word,  good  from  what  we  call  evil,  strength 
from  weakness  and  glory  from  shame.  But  keeping 
in  mind  that  proper  limits  must  bound  the  labors  of  a 
lecture,  the  audience  is  invited  to  contemplate  our  sub- 
let as  manifested  in  the  Saviour  of  mankind 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  175 

Jesus  went  forth  in  our  world  weeping,  bearing 
and  sowing  precious  seed,  and  he  shall  doubtless  come 
again,  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves  with  him.  He 
sowed  in  tears,  he  shall  reap  in  joy  ;  he  shall  see  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied. 

Our  first  inquiry  will  be  directed  to  notice  the  occa- 
sion of  our  Saviour's  tears. 

Jesus  was  possessed  of  the  sensibilities  and  sympa- 
thies of  our  nature  in  their  purity  and  perfection,  which 
caused  him  to  feel  the  afflictions  of  the  afflicted,  the 
sorrows  of  the  sorrowful,  and  the  distress  of  the  dis- 
tressed. Many  proofs  of  this  are  found  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Saviour.  We  may  notice  him  at  Bethany, 
where  he  raised  Lazarus  from  the  dead.  Notwith- 
standing he  knew  what  he  was  about  to  do,  and  that 
Lazarus  would  in  a  few  minutes  be  a  living  man,  to 
the  astonishment  and  joy  of  his  weeping  sisters,  such 
was  the  tenderness  of  his  heart  that  when  he  saw  the 
Jews,  who  had  come  to  comfort  the  bereaved  sisters, 
weeping,  and  the  two  disconsolate  sisters  weeping,  he 
himself  groaned  in  spirit,  and  wept  with  them.  Let 
those  who  mourn  remember  this,  and  realize  that  their 
sorrows  are  duly  noticed  by  him  who  is  the  resurrec- 
tion and  the  life,  who  hath  the  keys  of  hell  and  death. 
That  power  of  life  and  salvation,  which  gloriously  tri 
umphed  at  the  tomb  of  him  w  ho  had  been  dead  four 
days,  is  still  the  same,  and  has  given  assurance,  that  as 
in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made 
alive. 

On  that  most  joyful  occasion  of  the  entrance  of  Je- 
sus into  Jerusalem,  riding  upon  an  ass/ when  the  peo- 
ple in  vast  multitudes  welcomed  the  King  of  Zion, 
and  praised  God  with  a  loud  voice  for  all  the  mighty 
works  they  had  seen,  saying,  Blessed  be  the  King  that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ;  peace  in  heaven, 
and  glory  in  the  highest ;  the  blessed  Jesus,  in  room 
of  being  elated  with  these  tokens  of  submission  and 
expressions  of  joy — in  room  of  participating  the  exceed- 
ing gladness  of  the  people,  his  mind  seemed  intent  on 
a  very  different  subject,  the  account  of  which  is  as  fol- 
lows :  "And  when  he  came  near  he  beheld   the  city, 


176  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

and  wept  over  it  saying,  if  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou 
at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto 
thy  peace!  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes.  For 
the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  that  thine  enemies  shall 
cast  a  trench  about  thee,  and  compass  thee  round,  and 
keep  thee  in  on  every  side,  and  shall  lay  thee  even 
with  the  ground,  and  thy  children  within  thee  ;  and 
they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon  another ; 
because  thou  knewest  not  the  time  of  thy  visita- 
tion." 

Having  a  clear  view  of  the  sword,  the  famine  and 
the  pestilence  which  would  surely  come  on  Jerusa- 
lem, and  knowing  that  the  youth  who  were  then  in 
the  days  of  their  innocence,  would  be  the  sufferers 
in  this  calamity,  the  Saviour  was  deeply  affected,  and 
wept. 

Suppose  you,  who  love  the  town  of  Boston  for  a 
thousand  reasons,  which  we  have  not  time   to  name, 
should   be  certified  bv  a  divine  communication,  that 
this  metropolis  should,  within  forty  years,  suffer  all  the 
dreadful  calamities  of  a  long  siege,  attended  with  fam- 
ine and  pestilence,  with  factions  within,  which  should 
waste  the  strength  and  the  blood  of  the  inhabitants, 
until  the  place  should  be  given  up  to  an  enraged  ene- 
my, that  should  have  no  mercy  on  those  who  should 
fall  into  their  hands,  could  your  eyes  look  on  the  state- 
ly, magnificent  buildings,  knowing  they  would  all  be 
leveled  with  the  ground,  could  they  behold  the  lovely 
youth,  who  now  make  such  a  charming  appearance  in 
these  streets  and  churches,  without  wreeping?     Such 
was  the  occasion  of  those  tears  which  the  compassion- 
ate Jesus  shed  over  the  devoted  city  of  his  father  Da- 
vid.    He  looked  on  that  pride  and  joy   of  the  earth, 
he  beheld  the  temple  of  God,  that  wonder  of  the  world, 
he  knew  that  the  time  of  their  destruction  was  within 
that  generation ;  his  gracious  eyes  beheld  the  lovely 
youth  whose  thousands  then  adorned  the  venerable  hab- 
itations of  their  ancestors,  and  knew  that  they  would 
be  the  distressed  sufferers  in  the  calamities  to  which 
that  nation  and  city  were  appointed. 

When    he  was  going  to   Calvary  to    suffer  death 


BALLOu's  LECTURES.  177 

from  the  wicked  hands  of  the  people,  who  by  their 
persecutions  of  him  and  his  disciples  were  filling  up 
the  measure  of  their  sins,  he  was  evidently  more  con- 
cerned for  the  sufferings  that  people  were  bringing  on 
themselves  and  on  their  children,  than  for  what  he 
himself  was  about  to  endure.  When  he  saw  the  great 
company  of  people,  and  of  women,  who  followed  him 
lamenting  his  fate,  he  turned  and  said  unto  them, 
"  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  for  me,  but  weep 
for  yourselves,  and  for  your  children.  For,  behold, 
the  days  are  coming  in  the  which  they  shall  say,  bless- 
ed are  the  barren,  and  the  wombs  that  never  bare,  and 
the  paps  which  never  gave  suck.  Then  shall  they  be- 
gin to  say-  to  the  mountains,  fall  on  us,  and  to  the  hills, 
cover  us.  For  if  they  do  these  things  in  a  green  tree, 
what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry  ? " 

If  the  hearer  will  indulge  a  digression  in  this  place, 
liberty  will  be  taken  to  remark  on  two  particulars. 
First,  it  does  not  appear,  from  the  Saviour's  speech 
here  recited,  that  his  own  sufferings  were  of  that  kind 
or  degree  that  has  been  represented  by  christian  doc- 
tors. They  have  supposed  that  the  sufferings  of  Christ 
were  far  beyond  any  possible  comparison,  even  great- 
er than  we  can  conceive,  and  that  this  rendered  them 
efficacious  with  his  Father  to  procure  our  pardon  of 
sin.  Now  if  his  sufferings  were  so  immense,  why  should 
he  represent  to  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  that  they 
had  more  reason  to  weep  for  themselves  and  their 
children,  than  for  him? 

Secondly,  it  does  not  appear  that  the  Saviour 
thought  of  the  subject,  which  has  been  the  weighty 
burden  of  those  minds,  who  have  consigned  the  inhab- 
itants of  Jerusalem  to  everlasting  misery  in  the  future 
world ;  for  he  spake  of  nothing  but  of  their  sufferings 
in  this  life.  If  it  had  been  known  to  Jesus,  that  all 
the  sufferings  which  that  people  was  appointed  to  en- 
dure in  the  destructions  that  he  denounced  upon  them, 
were  nothing  in  comparison  with  what  they  must  suf- 
fer in  another  world,  why  did  he,  when  he  wept  over 
Jerusalem,  speak  of  the  destruction  of  that  city  and  its 
inhabitants  by  the  hand  of  their  enemies,  and   neglect 


178  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

to  say  any  thing  on  the  subject  of  their  future  suffer- 
ings, which  were  to  be  infinitely  greater  ?  The  can- 
dor of  the  hearer  will  do  justice  to  these  remarks,  while 
we  return  to  our  subject. 

The  prophet  Isaiah  represents  our  Saviour  a  man 
of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief.  He  grieved  and 
wept  for  the  afflictions  and  sufferings  of  mankind  ;  he 
felt  the  woes  of  human  nature  ;  he  bore  their  sicknesses 
and  carried  their  sorrows,  but  the  angel  of  his  presence 
upheld  him ;  he  was  touched  with  the  feelings  of  all 
our  infirmities. 

The  superstition,  the  bigotry,  and  the  traditions  of 
the  people  wherewith  they  made  void  the  law  of  God, 
and  the  hardness  of  their  hearts  were  a  peculiar  cause 
of  his  grief.  Such  was  their  blindness  that  his  mira- 
cles could  not  open  their  eyes  ;  and  such  was  the  hard- 
ness of  their  hearts  that  his  love,  pity  and  mercy  did 
not  soften  them.  What  stubborn,  unyielding  and  for- 
bidding ground  was  this  !  There  was  but  here  and 
there  a  spot  where  the  precious  seed  that  he  sowed 
could  be  received  into  good  ground,  and  promise  a  fu- 
ture harvest. 

We  may  now  direct  our  attention  to  inquire  what 
seed  the  Saviour  sowed,  and  to  ascertain  its  precious 
qualities. 

In  the  13th  chapter  of  Matthew,  Jesus  represents 
himself  as  a  sower,  who  went  forth  to  sow;  "And, 
when  he  sowed,  some  seeds  fell  by  the  way-side,  and 
the  fowls  came  and  devoured  them  up.  Some  fell  up- 
on stony  places,  where  they  had  not  much  earth  ;  and 
forthwith  they  sprung  up,  because  they  had  no  deep- 
ness of  earth :  and  when  the  sun  was  up  they  were 
scorched ;  and,  because  they  had  no  root,  they  with- 
ered away.  And  some  fell  among  thorns  ;  and  the 
thorns  sprung  up  and  choked  them.  But  others  fell 
into  good  ground,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  some  an 
hundred-fold,  some  sixty-fold,  some  thirty-fold."  In 
the  same  chapter  he  says  ;  "  He  that  soweth  the  good 
seed  is  the  Son  of  man."  Again,  he  signifies  that  by 
Beed  lie  means  the  "  word  of  the  kingdom."  And 
furthermore  he  represents  the   kingdom  of  heaven  by 


BALLOl/'s    LECTURES.  179 

"  a  grain  of  mustard-seed,  which  a  man  took  and  sow- 
ed in  his  field."  It  is  evident  by  these  scripture,  that 
Jesus  represented  his  doctrine  by  "good  seed."  '  The 
doctrine  of  Christ  is,  therefore,  our  present  subject. 

Here  it  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  the  great  teacher 
sent  of  God,  though  he  taught  a  doctrine  which  was 
very  different  from  that  which  was  taught  by  the  doc- 
tors of  his  day,  was  never  the  author  of  a  set  of  arti- 
cles of  faith  called  a  creed.  And  it  is  likewise  of  im- 
portance to  notice,  that  in  this,  his  Apostles  faithfully 
followed  his  example.  The  work  of  framing  creeds  is 
the  invention  of  men. 

Jesus  founded  his  doctrine  and  all  he  came  to  do, 
on  the  divine  character  and  will  of  his  Father.  He 
said  ;  "  I  came  down  from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own 

will  :  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me. God   sent 

not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world  ;  but 

that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved. -The 

Son  of  man  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners 

to  repentance. The  Son  of  man  came  to  seek  and 

to  save  that  which  was  lost." 

By  these  precious  sayings  of  Jesus  we  are  certified 
that  God  is  merciful  to  sinners,  wills  their  salvation, 
and  sent  his  Son  for  this  very  purpose. 

In  the  5th  of  Matthew,  Jesus  sets  forth  his  precious 
doctrine  in  the  plainest  terms  possible,  as  follows  ;  "  I 
say  unto  you,  love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse 
you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
which  despitefully  use  you,  and  persecute  you  ;  that 
ye  may  be  the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  hea- 
ven:  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on 
the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on  the  unjust. 
For  if  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward 
have  ye  ?  Do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same  ?  And  if 
ye  salute  your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  more  than 
others  ?  Do  not  even  the  publicans  so  ?  Be  ye  there- 
fore perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  is 
perfect." 

By  this  most  precious  testimony  we  are  assured  that 
our  Father  who  is  in  heaven  loves  his  enemies  :  and 
we  are  furthermore  certified   that  we  are  required  to 


180  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

do  the  same.  How  many  articles  of  faith  is  it  neces- 
sary to  arrange,  in  order  to  comprehend  this  subject  ? 
How  long  is  it  necessary  for  a  good  scholar  and  a 
bright  genius  to  spend  at  a  theological  school  in  order 
to  understand  this  doctrine  ?  It  pains  the  speaker  to 
the  heart,  that,  he  is  obliged  to  say,  that  theological 
schools  are  employed  in  teaching  youth  how  to 
evade  the  plain  testimony  of  Jesus,  and  how  to  keep 
the  people  from  receiving  it. 

In  the  15th  of  Luke,  the  Saviour  sets  forth  his  doc- 
trine of  salvation  in  three  parables.  He  was  induced 
to  do  this  in  reply  to  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes,  who 
murmured  at  him  because  he  received  sinners  and  ate 
with  them.  In  the  first  parable  he  represents  sinners 
and  their  salvation  by  a  lost  sheep,  which  the  owner 
seeks,  finds,  and  carries  home  ;  in  the  second,  by  a 
piece  of  money  which  a  woman  lost,  sought  and  found. 
He  furthermore  represents  the  angels  in  heaven  re- 
joicing more  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  than  over 
ninety  and  nine  just  persons  who  need  no  repent- 
ance ;  and  in  the  last  he  sets  forth  the  return  of  sin- 
ners to  God  by  the  return  of  the  prodigal  son  to  his 
father. 

This  sower  of  the  precious  seed  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  was  particular  in  planting  the  doctrine  of  the 
divine  goodness ;  and  in  order  to  hand  it  to  us  in  the 
most  acceptable  manner,  he  says ;  "  If  ye,  then,  being 
evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children, 
how  much  more  shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven 
give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  him?  " 

Nothing  can  be  more  evident,  than  that  our  heaven- 
ly Father  is  more  kind  to  us,  who  are  evil,  than  we 
are  to  our  children,  according  to  this  precious  testimo- 
ny of  our  Saviour.  This  is  precious  seed  in  very  deed. 
It  is  precious  beyond  all  comparison.  This  declara- 
tion of  him,  who  went  forth  weeping,  bearing  precious 
seed,  is  of  more  value  than  all  the  bodies  of  divinity 
which  have  been  written  since  the  enemy  sowed  tares 
among  the  wheat. 

Let  u>  ask  ourselves,  notwithstanding  we  are  evil, 
and   too  frequently  err  in    our  conduct  towards  our 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  181 

children,  could  we  possibly  consign  our  dependent 
offspring  to  endless  torments  for  their  childish  faults  ? 
And  yet  such  is  the  common  doctrine  taught  by  the 
creeds  of  men,  that  little  children  are  instructed  to  re- 
peat sentences  which  teach  them  to  believe  that  their 
heavenly  Father  will  torture  millions  of  his  creatures, 
in  never  ending  misery  !  How  painful  is  the  thought, 
that  such  a  sentiment  should  be  imprinted  in  the 
tender  minds  of  our  innocent  children,  concerning 
whom  Jesus  said ;  "  Suffer  little  children,  and  forbid 
them  not,  to  come  unto  me  ;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  O  how  precious  is  this  kind  declaration 
of  the  Saviour,  to  parents  !  This  is  the  testimony  of 
him,  who  is  now  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  Compare 
these  words  of  Jesus  with  the  popular  doctrine  of  the 
total  depravity  of  infants,  and  of  hell's  containing  mil- 
lions of  them,  who  never  saw  the  light  of  the  sun  ! 

Such  is  the  vast  importance  of  the  comparison  here 
suggested,  that,  the  candid  attention  of  the  audience  is 
invited  to  consider  the  following  question  ;  If  the  tes- 
timony of  Jesus  concerning  little  children  be  both  true 
and  precious,  is  not  the  opinion   that  little  children 
are  totally   depraved,  and  are  heirs  of  eternal  misery, 
false  and  impure  ?     This  false  doctrine  belongs  to  the 
tares,  which  the  enemy  sowed  among  the  wheat.     Jesus 
never  sowed  such  seed  ;  he  never  uttered  any  thing 
so  dishonorable  to  God,  nor  did  he  ever  plant  such 
a  thorn  to  torture  the  feelings  of  affectionate   parents. 
The    doctrine  of  Jesus  is  the  doctrine  of  love.     The 
doctrines  of  men  are   the    doctrines   of  hatred.      The 
doctrine  of  Jesus   teaches  that  God  loves  his  enemies, 
wills  their  salvation,  and   sent  his   Son  to  save  them. 
The  doctrines  of  men  teach  that  God  hates  his  enemies 
and  will  punish  them  eternally.    The  doctrine  of  Jesus 
informs  us  that  he  came  to  call  sinners  to  repentance. 
The  doctrines  of  men  assert,  that  the  finally  impenitent 
will  be  made  forever  miserable,  but  Jesus  never  spake 
of  the  "finally  impenitent."      The  doctrine  of  Jesus 
teaches  the  forgiveness  of  sin.     The  doctrines  of  men 
require  a  sacrifice  to  appease  the  divine  wrath.     The 
doctiine  of  Jesus  informs'  ns3  that  he  will  draw  all  men 

16 


182  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

unto  himself.  The  doctrines  of  men  assert,  that  God 
has  decreed  but  a  part  to  be  drawn  to  Christ.  The 
doctrine  of  Jesus  informs  us  that  all  things  are  given  to 
him.  The  doctrines  of  men  assert,  that  but  a  few  are 
given  to  Christ.  The  doctrine  of  Jesus  is  precious 
wheat;  but  the  doctrines  of  men  are  tares  which  are 
to  be  consumed  by  the  fire  of  truth  and  love. 

There  are  several  particulars  respecting  the  pre- 
ciousness  of  the  doctrine  of  Jesus,  which  are  worthy 
of  special  notice  ;  some  of  which  we  shall  here  men- 
tion. 

First.  This  doctrine  is  from  God.  Jesus  says  ;  "  My 
doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me."  The  Cre- 
ator, Ruler  and  Disposer  of  all  things  has  sent  us  a 
communication  of  his  divine  will  and  fixed  purpose 
concerning  us.  This  doctrine  being  from  the  high- 
est  authority  in  the  universe  must  be  considered  pre- 
cious. 

Secondly.  In  all  respects,  this  doctrine  is  most  favor- 
able to  mankind.  There  is  no  particular  part  that  can 
be  altered  for  the  better.  Let  the  most  wise  and  pru- 
dent undertake  to  add  any  thing  to  this  doctrine  and 
they  make  it  worse.  Let  them  take  any  thing  from  it 
and  they  leave  it  not  so  good. 

Thirdly.  It  is  most  precious  on  account  of  its  sim- 
plicity and  perspicuity.  It  is  rendered  so  visible  in 
the  divine  testimony,  that  any  attempt  to  explain  it 
tends  to  render  it  obscure.  If  one  should  attempt  to 
show  us  the  sun  in  a  clear  day  by  holding  a  candle 
before  our  eyes,  it  would  obscure  our  vision,  and  tend 
to  hide  from  our  sight  what  is  already  as  visible  as  it 
can  be.  Such  are  the  effects  of  the  wisdom  of  this 
world  when  employed  to  show  us  that  light  which 
shines  in  the  "face  of  Jesus." 

Fourthly.  This  doctrine  of  the  New-Testament  is 
life.  It  is  the  bread  of  God  which  giveth  life  to  the 
world.  St.  Paul  says  ;  "  God  hath  made  us  able  min- 
isters of  the  New-Testament,  not  of  the  letter,  but  of 
the  spirit;  for  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth 
life."  There  is  no  death  in  the  doctrine  of  Jesus. 
Peter  said  ;  "  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life." 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  183 

Fifthly,  It  is  universal.  It  is  the  same  to  all  men. 
Jesus  has  but  one  doctrine  for  every  creature  under 
heaven  ;  and  this  doctrine  is  calculated  to  gather  to- 
gether all  things  in  one,  even  in  Christ.  There  is  no 
particular  view  of  the  doctrine  of  Jesus,  in  which  it 
appears  more  precious,  than  in  its  universality. 
Though  the  sun  be  most  precious  in  its  light  and 
heat  even  to  an  individual,  how  glorious  is  the  thought 
that  this  light  and  this  heat  are  universal.  And  though 
these  life-giving  qualities  are  dispensed  through  every 
degree  of  latitude  and  longitude  round  the  globe,  every 
one  has  enough.  So  it  is  with  that  "  true  light  that 
lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  If  a 
few  astronomers,  who  should  study  the  laws  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  should  frame  a  creed  embracing  the 
most  essential  particulars  in  the  phenomena  of  the  sun, 
and  then  require  every  one,  learned  and  unlearned,  to 
believe  in  their  creed  as  a  condition  by  which  they 
might  obtain  its  light,  they  would  discover  as  much  true 
philosophy  as  those,  who  stile  themselvs  divines,  do  of 
divinity,  in  framing  their  creeds,  and  requiring  our 
assent  to  them,  that  we  may  obtain  the  favour  of  God. 

Sixthly,  This  doctrine  is  most  precious,  because  it  is 
always  the  same.  It  is  now  what  it  was  in  the  begin- 
ning, it  is  now  what  it  will  be  when  thousands  of 
ages  shall  have  passed  away.  The  same  love,  the  same 
mercy,  the  same  good  will  of  our  heavenly  Father,  in 
which  the  most  enlightened  now  rejoice,  have,  in  all 
ages  of  the  world,  been  in  full  exercise  towards  man- 
kind ;  nor  can  they  ever  relax,  but  will  forever  con- 
tinue. 

And  seventhly,  This  precious  doctrine  of  the  love  of 
God  is  calculatd  to  transform  every  rational  being  into 
its  own  nature  and  to  render  every  man  precious  like 
itself.    "  Every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifi- 

eth  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure. Now  are  we  the 

sons  of  God  ;  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall 
be,  but  we  know,  that  when  he  appeareth  we  shall  be 
like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  In  this  way 
the  fruits  of  the  precious  doctrine  of  the   Saviour  will 


184  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

finally  produce  the  joyful  harvest  contemplated  in  ou 
text,  and  will  load,  with  ripe  sheaves,  the  blessed  Re- 
deemer of  the  world,   who  in  sorrow  went  forth   and 
sowed  his  precious  seed. 

When  the  fulness  of  the  different  times,  which  in- 
tervene between  seed-time  and  harvest,  have  passed 
away,  and  the  hand  of  labor  is  abundantly  rewarded 
with  a  plenteous  harvest,  then  the  husbandman  reali- 
zes the  end  of  his  toils,  and  comes  from  his  field,  re 
ioicing,  bringing  hJs  sheaves  with  him.  So,  when  the 
fulness  of  times  shall  have  passed  away,  for  the  perfect- 
ing of  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  he  that  sowed 
in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy.  All  shall  know  the  Lord 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest;  and  the  knowledge  of 
God  shall  cover  the  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea. 

As  the  husbandman,  who  commits  the  precious 
wheat  to  the  bosom  of  the  earth,  and  waits  for  the  ear- 
ly and  the  latter  rains,  receives  to  his  full  satisfaction 
the  plenteous  harvest,  so  we  are  certified  that  Jesus 
shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied.  O 
the  blessed  assurance  !  Shall  Jesus,  who  sowed  in 
tears  reap  as  large  a  harvest  as  will  fill  his  vast  desires  ? 
Yes,  "  for  by  his  knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant 
justify  many,  for  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities."  Jesus 
"  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all  to  be  testified  in  due 
time."  He  will  never  be  satisfied  until  his  "  ransomed 
shall  all  return  and  come  to  Zion  with  songs,  and 
everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads ;  they  shall  obtain 
joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee 
away." 

Every  convert  to  God,  every  ransomed  soul  that 
returns  and  comes  to  Zion,  brings  a  ripe  sheaf  of  the 
precious  grain  of  love  to  God  and  love  to  man,  which 
Jesus  sowed  in  tears.  It  should  be  distinctly  understood, 
that  the  design  of  the  Saviour  in  sowing  the  good  seed 
in  the  world,  was  that  it  might  bring  forth  the  fruit  of 
righteousness. 

Here  then  let  us  examine  the  argument  which  the 
doctrine  of  limited  salvation  urges  against  the  final  hap- 
piness of  all  men.     The  argument  is  this ;  It  is  not 


BALLOU'S  LECTURES.  185 

right  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  bestow  the  same  felicity 
on  the  wicked,  as  he  does  on  the  righteous.  This  is 
our  opposer's  argument,  but  we  say  it  does  not,  in  the 
least,  affect  the  merits  of  the  subject.  This  objection 
only  shows  that  the  opposer  is  totally  ignorant  of  what 
he  endeavors  to  disprove.  The  question  is,  is  it  just 
and  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to  bring  sinners  to  repent- 
ance, and  convert  the  ungodly  to  holiness  ?  This  is 
the  question,  and  our  opposer  ought  to  understand  it; 
for  if  he  could  see  that,  in  order  to  disprove  the  doc- 
trine for  which  we  contend,  he  must  show  that  it  is  not 
right  to  convert  the  sinner  to  God,  he  would  cease  to 
oppose. 

Jesus  said,  as  has  been  before  noticed, "  that  he  came 
to  call  sinners  to  repentance."  St.  Paul  says,  "This  is 
a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that 
Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of 
whom  I  am  chief."  But  let  us  keep  in  mind,  that  Je- 
sus saves  his  people  from  their  sins  ;  not  in  their  sins, 
as  our  opposers  seem  to  insinuate  that  we  believe. 

There  are  two  particulars  respecting  the  harvest 
under  consideration,  which  may  be  distinctly  noti- 
ced. 

First.  The  quality  of  the  grain  to  be  gathered  in. 
This  is  righteousness.  "  Such  as  a  man  sows,  such 
shall  he  also  reap."  Jesus  sowed  the  doctrine  of  love, 
of  faith,  of  repentance,  of  hope,  of  charity,  of  forgive- 
ness, of  doing  to  others  as  we  would  that  they  should 
do  to  us;  such  will  he  reap.  Had  he  sown  the  doc- 
trine of  eternal  hatred,  final  impenitence,  endless  en- 
mity, death  and  condemnation,  he  would  expect  to 
reap  a  harvest  of  the  same  kind.  Those  who  preach 
such  doctrines  now,  expect  to  see  such  a  harvest,  and 
they  very  often  speak  of  the  tremendous  day,  when 
the  ripe  sheaves  will  be  gathered  in.  But  who  will 
come  rejoicing  bringing  in  such  a  harvest  ? 

Secondly.  The  extent  of  the  harvest  is  a  subject 
that  claims  our  notice.     Jesus  represented  the  future 
extent  of  his  doctrine,  by  the  parable  of  the   mustard- 
seed,  "which   a   man   took  and   sowed   in   his  field; 
16* 


186  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

which  indeed  is  the  least  of  all  seeds  ;  but  when  it  is 
grown  it  is  the  greatest  among  herbs,  and  becomes  a 
tree  ;  so  that  the  birds  of  the  air  come  and  lodge  in  the 
branches  thereof."     Also,  by  the  parable  of  the  leaven, 
"  which  a  woman  took  and  hid  in   three  measures  of 
meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened. "     There  is  a  beau- 
tiful indication  of  the  same  in  the  72d  Psalm,  as  fol- 
lows :  "  There  shall  be  an  handful  of  corn  in  the  earth 
upon  the  top  of  the  mountains  ;  the  fruit  thereof  shall 
shake  like  Lebanon  ;  and  they  of  the  city  shall  flourish 
like  grass  of  the  earth."     Isaiah  says,  "  Thy  people 
shall  be  all  righteous."     And  speaking  of  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  he  says  ;  "  Of  the  increase  of  his  government 
and  peace  there  shall  be  no  end."     David  says,  "All 
kings  shall  fall  down   before   him:  all   nations     shall 
serve  him — All  the  ends  of  the  world  shall  remember, 
and  turn  unto  the  Lord ;  and  all  the  kindreds  of  the 
nations  shall  worship  before  thee.     For  the  kingdom 
is  the  Lord's ;  and  he  is  the  governor  among  the  na- 
tions."    This  extensive  harvest  was  seen  by  St.  John, 
on  the  isle  of  Patmos,  as  he  thus  describes  :  "  I  be- 
held, and  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could 
number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and 
tongues,    stood    before   the    throne,    and   before    the 
Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and   palms  in  their 
hands ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Salvation 
to  our  God,  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto 
the  Lamb."     This  is   the  rejoicing   of  the  extensive 
harvest.     And  though  this  vast  multitude  of  all  na- 
tions,  &c.    were  seen   together,   there  were  "  white 
robes  "  enough  for  them  all. 

My  hearers — You  were  all  seen  in  this  vision  ;  the 
robe  of  righteousness  is  ready  for  you.  The  time  will 
come  when  every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue 
confess  that  Jesus  is  Lord  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Fa- 
ther. 

Though  the  mustard-seed  was  despised  when  the 
Saviour  planted  it,  and  though  it  lie  a  long  time  in 
the  earth,  its  glory  will  unfold,  and  its  increase  shall 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  187 

satisfy  the  capacious  desires  of  him  who  came  to  call 
sinners  to  repentance. 
Dr.  Watts  says ; 

"  Though  seed  lie  buried  long  in  dust, 
It  shan't  deceive  their  hope ! 
The  precious  grain  can  ne'er  be  lost, 
For  grace  insures  the  crop  " 


LECTURE     XIV. 

ENTERING    INTO    LIFE    MAIMED  ;    AND    BEING    CAST    INTO 

HELL. 

MARK  ix.  43,  44. 

And  if  thy  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off:  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life 
maimed  than  having  two  hands  to  go  into  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  shall 
be  quenched ;    where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched. 

Some  of  the  motives  which  have  inclined  the  speak- 
er to  call  the  attention  of  this  audience  to  the  consid- 
eration of  this  portion  of  divine  truth  are  the  fol- 
lowing: 

1.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  passage  in  the  scriptures, 
that  has  been  more  commonly  used  to  lead  the  minds 
of  people  to  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  endless  misery, 
and  to  be  exercised  with  the  fear  of  such  a  state, 
than  this.  And  as  one  of  the  objects  of  these  lec- 
tures is  to  disprove  such  a  doctrine,  and  to  show  that 
the  passages,  which  are  usually  quoted  in  its  support, 
are  misapplied,  it  seems  proper  to  notice  this  pas- 
sage in  a  way  to  show  the  error  of  its  common  use. 
And, 

2.  That  the  opportunity  may  be  embraced  to  en- 
force the  argument  of  the  text  to  induce  the  mind 
to  submit  to  any  privations,  which  are  necessary 
to  the  discharge  of  that  christian  obedience  by 
which  we  enter  into  the  spiritual  life  of  the  spirit  of 
truth. 

We  may,  in  the  first  place,  institute  an  inquiry,  di 
rected  to  satisfy  the  mind  respecting  the  usual  appli 
cation   of  this  scripture   to  a  future  state    of  endless 
misery. 

In  giving  to  this  inquiry  such  a  form  as  may  tend  to 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  189 

facilitate  a  judicious  conclusion,  the  following  things 
are  premised ; 

1.  The  testimony,  by  which  any  fact  is  to  be  proved, 
should  be  of  one  who  knows  the  thing  to  be  a  reality, 
to  which  he  bears  such  testimony. 

2.  In  a  case  where  testimony  is  all  the  evidence  that 
can  be  had,  this  testimony  should  be  of  such  a  charac- 
ter as  to  admit  of  no  reasonable  doubt  respecting  its 
true  application. 

3.  It  is  indispensable,  that  testimony,  by  which  the 
belief  of  any  proposition  is  to  be  established  should  be 
entirely  free  from  any  contradictions.      And, 

4.  It  is  moreover  proper  to  observe,  that  in  propor- 
tion to  the  greatness  of  the  subject,  on  which  we  are 
called  to  form  a  judgment,  what  has  been  premised 
enforces  its  claims  on  the  mind. 

As  to  the  magnitude  of  the  subject,  which  is  now 
called  in  question,  nothing  exceeds  it.  The  doctrine 
which  asserts,  that  mankind  are  to  suffer  unspeakable 
torments  to  all  future  eternity  is  a  subject,  that  justly 
requires  as  direct  and  clear  evidence  as  any  nameable 
case  whatever. 

With  the  foregoing  considerations  impressed  on  our 
minds,  let  us  examine  the  words  of  our  text  with  the 
design  to  ascertain  the  truth  concerning  this  vast  ques- 
tion. "  And  if  thy  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off;  it  is 
better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed,  than  having 
two  hands,  to  be  cast  into  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never 
shall  be  quenched ;  where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and 
the  fire  is  not  quenched." — This  is  the  testimony  on 
which  the  doctrine  of  eternal,  never-ending  misery  is 
founded.  The  hearer  is  most  earnestly  requested  to 
lay  aside  all  prepossession  on  this  subject,  and  investi- 
gate it  with  as  much  caution  as  the  interest  which  we 
all  have  in  the  subject  demands. 

1.  Let  us  ask,  is  there  in  this  passage  any  thing 
that  goes  to  prove  that  its  author  was  speaking  of  what 
is  to  take  place  in  a  future  state  of  being  ?  Most 
certainly,  without  a  doubt,  replies  the  believer  in  end- 
less punishment,  for  Jesus  here  speaks  of  being  cast 
into  hell ;  and  surely  hell  is  not  in  this  world.     My 


190  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

dear  friend,  I  humbly  asked  you  to  lay  aside  all  pre- 
possessions on  this  subject ;  but  in  room  of  this,  your 
answer  is  the  production  of  prejudice.  Did  this  faith- 
ful and  true  witness  ever  say  that  hell  is  not  in  this 
world  ?  Ts  it  asserted  in  our  text,  that  this  hell  is  in  a 
future  state  of  existence  ?  Both  these  questions  must 
be  answered  in  the  negative.  Will  our  opposer  say, 
that  the  whole  testimony  of  scripture  must  be  admitted 
in  this  case,  and  that  we  must  learn  where  hell  is,  and 
what  it  is,  by  the  united  testimony  of  inspired  writers? 
To  this  we  agree  at  once.  The  prophet  David  says  ; 
"  Great  is  thy  mercy  toward  me ;  and  thou  hast  deliv- 
ered my  soul  from  the  lowest  hell."  Again  he  says  ; 
"  The  sorrows  of  death  compassed  me,  and  the  pains 
of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me  ;  I  found  trouble  and  sorrow." 
Jonah  says ;  I  cried  by  reason  of  mine  affliction  unto 
the  Lord,  and  he  heard  me ;  out  of  the  belly  of  hell 
cried  I,  and  thou  heardest  my  voice."  Now  as  certain 
as  David  and  Jonah  were  in  this  world,  when  they 
thus  spake,  so  certain  it  is,  that  in  the  days  of  these 
prophets,  hell  was  in  this  world.  Why  might  it  not  be 
in  this  world  in  the  days  our  Saviour  was  on  the  earth? 

It  appears  evident,  from  the  passages  just  quoted, 
that  a  state  of  extreme  trouble  and  affliction  is,  in  the 
language  of  scripture,  called  hell.  Therefore,  in  order 
to  justify  the  application  of  this  word  to  a  state  of  pun- 
ishment in  a  future  world,  there  must  be  a  declaration 
directly  to  that  effect ;  but  there  is  no  part  of  the  text 
under  consideration  that  can  in  any  way  answer  such 
a  purpose. 

2.  Will  it  be  contended,  that  as  the  Saviour  said; 
"Where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not 
quenched,"  he  must  necessarily  mean  to  speak  of  a 
future  endless  torment  ?  To  this  we  reply  ;  as  it  has 
already  been  agreed,  that  the  scriptures  must  be  taken 
in  their  connexion,  and  their  united  testimony  admit- 
ted in  this  inquiry,  it  seems  most  proper  to  connect 
these  words  of  our  Saviour  with  a  similar  passage  in 
tin-  66th  of  Isaiah,  which  reads  thus;  "  For  as  the  new 
heavens,  and  the  new  earth,  which  I  have  made,  shall 
remain  before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  so  shall  youi   seed 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  191 

and  your  name  remain.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
that  from  one  new  moon  to  another,  and  from  one 
sabbath  to  another,  shall  all  flesh  come  to  worship  be- 
fore me,  saith  the  Lord.  And  they  shall  go  forth, 
and  look  upon  the  carcasses  of  the  men  that  have 
transgressed  against  me :  for  their  worm  shall  not  die, 
neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched  ;  and  they  shall 
be  an  abhorring  unto  all  flesh." 

By  this  passage  the  case  is  perfectly  clear  that  the 
worm,  and  the  fire  that  is  not  quenched  are  in  this 
state  of  existence,  where  times  of  worship  are  measur- 
ed by  new  moons  and  by  sabbaths.  And  there  can 
be  no  doubt  but  the  Saviour,  in  our  text  had  his  eye 
on  this  passage  in  Isaiah,  and  spake  of  the  same  sub- 
ject. 

We  will  now  allow  the  objector  liberty  to  say,  that 
it  is  evident  that  the  passage  in  Isaiah  alludes  to  the 
time  of  the  new  heavens,  and  the  new  earth,  which 
must  refer  to  a  future  state. 

We  reply  to  the  objector,  in  this  case,  and  say ; 
«  Ye  greatly  err,  not  knowing  the  scriptures,"  for  the 
prophet  in  his  65th  chapter  speaks  as  follows ;  "  Be- 
hold I  create  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth  ;  and  the 
former  shall  not  be  remembered,  nor  come  into  mind. 
But  be  ye  glad  and  rejoice  forever  in  that  which  I 
create  ;  for,  behold,  I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing, 
and  her  people  a  joy — And  they  shall  build  houses, 
and  inhabit  them ;  and  they  shall  plant  vineyards, 
and  eat  the  fruit  of  them."  Will  nouses  be  built, 
and  vineyards  be  planted  in  a  future  world  ?  No  ; 
all  these  scriptures  evidently  regard  things  which  be- 
long to  our  present  state  of  mortal  existence. 

By  a  careful  comparison  of  the  passages  to  which  we 
have  referred,  and  by  taking  into  the  connexion  one  in 
St.  Pete'-,  and  another  in  Revelations,  on  the  subject 
of  the  new  heavens,  and  new  earth,  and  on  the  new 
Jerusalem,  it  appears  clear  that  those  scriptures  were 
designed  to  represent  the  gospel  dispensation.  St. 
Paul,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  who  understood 
the  language  of  Isaiah,  says  to  the  believers  in  Jesus* 
"  Ye  are  come  unto  mount  Zion,  and  unto  the  city  of 


192  BALLOTS    LECTURES. 

the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem."  He  does  not 
say,  that  they  will  get  to  this  heavenly  Jerusalem  in  a 
future  world,  but  he  tells  them,  that  that  they  have 
already  come  to  it. 

But  what  does  Isaiah  mean  by  saying  ;  "  They  shall 
go  forth,  and  look  upon  the  carcasses  of  the  men  that 
have  transgressed  against  me  ;  for  their  worm  shall  not 
die,  neither  shall  their  fire  be  quenched  ;  and  they  shall 
be  an  abhorring  unto  all  flesh  ?" 

Reply — By  all  flesh,  no  doubt,  the  prophet  meant 
the  Gentiles  of  different  nations  who  should  come  into 
the  gospel  church  and  covenant :  and  by  the  men  that 
transgressed  against  the  Lord,  he  meant  the  Jews  who 
rejected  their  Messiah.  These  Jews  are  represented 
as  tormented  with  a  gnawing  worm  and  a  perpetual 
fire,  and  to  be  an  abhorring  to  the  Christian  church  of 
Gentiles. 

These  remarks  seem  to  bring  us  directly  to  the 
meaning  of  our  text.  "It  is  better  for  thee  to  ente 
into  life  maimed,  than,  having  two  hands,  to  be  cast  in- 
to hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched  ; 
where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quench- 
ed." That  is,  than  to  be  cast  into  the  state  of  con- 
demnation and  outer  darkness,  where  there  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  into  which  the  Jews 
who  reject  the  gospel  will  be  cast. 

Will  it  now  be  asked,  what  will  become  of  those  Is- 
raelites who  rejected  the  Messiah  and  have  been  cast 
into  this  state  of  condemnation  ?  Let  St.  Paul  give 
the  answer;  "  Blindness  in  part  is  happened  to  Israel 
until  the  fulness  of  the  gentiles  be  come  in,  and  so  all 
Israel  shall  be  saved." 

As  it  has  been  premised  that  the  testimony  by  which 
a  belief  in  a  proposition  is  to  be  established,  must  be 
free  from  contradiction,  before  we  can  allow  that  the 
doctrine  of  endless  misery  is  proved  by  the  scriptures, 
they  must  be  found  entirely  free  from  any  declarations 
to  the  contrary. 

St.  Paul  informs  us,  that  God  "  will  have  all  men 
to  be  saved,"  and  that  Jesus  "gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  all"  men.     Now  if  God's  will  and  the  Saviour's  ran 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  193 

som  finally  fail  of  their  object,  what  can  we  prove  from 
the  scriptures  ?  If  those  whom  God  wills  to  save,  and 
whom  the  Saviour  ransomed  are  to  be  miserable  eter- 
nally, who  are  to  be  saved  ? 

The  fact  is,  there  is  no  such  testimony  in  the  scrip- 
tures, which  can,  with  the  least  degree  of  fairness  be 
applied  to  a  state  of  never-ending  misery  ;  and  in  fact 
if  there  were  any  such  testimony  in  the  scriptures,  yet 
it  could  not  prove  the  proposition,  so  long  as  there  re- 
main so  many  positive  declarations  against  it. 

Moreover,  we  feel  it  to  be  a  duty  to  state,  that  in 
room  of  straining  particular  passages,  which  speak  of 
the  punishment  of  the  wicked,  so  as  to  favor  the  idea 
of  unlimited  punishment,  we  should  feel  justified  in 
restraining  any  passage,  could  such  be  found,  that 
should  seem  to  favor  an  opinion  so  dishonorable  to  God, 
and  so  revolting  to  our  best  feelings. 

It  surely  should  not  require  so  much  direct  testimo- 
ny from  the  scripture  to  prove  that  God  will  have  mer- 
cy on  all  men,  as  to  prove  that  he  will  not ;  for  if  we 
judge  the  divine  Being  by  his  conduct  to  men  in  this 
life,  the  evidence  of  his  universal  goodness  is  perfect- 
ly ample.  And  David  says,  "  the  Lord  is  good  to  all, 
and   his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works." 

If  what  the  scriptures  assert  on  this  subject  be  true, 
and  if  we  may  credit  the  testimony  of  divine  provi- 
dence, we  must  conclude,  that  the  doctrine  that  teach- 
es unmerciful,  never-ending  punishment,  is  a  direct 
impeachment  of  the  divine  Being ;  and  is  the  greatest 
specimen  of  ingratitude  that  is  to  be  found  in  all  the 
world. 

This  ungrateful  doctrine  is  now  held  up  to  be  the 
guardian  of  morality  !  In  order  to  be  moral  we  must 
solemnly  and  heartily  accuse  the  kind  Father  of  our 
spirits,  who  loves  sinners  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the 
propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  of  having 
predestinated  millions  of  human  beings  to  a  state  of 
endless  wo,  before  the  creation  of  the  world  !  If  re- 
ligion and  morality  begin  with  such  ingratitude,  what 
wrill  be  their  progress  ?  and  what  will  be  their  end  ? 

There  is  one  more  argument  which  the  opposer 
17 


194  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

may  think  ought  to  be  noticed,  which  is  the  following. 
As  Jesus  says,  in  our  text ;  "  it  is  better  for  thee  to 
enter  into  life  maimed,  than  having  two  hands,  to  be 
cast  into  hell,  &e. ;  as  entering  into  life  means  entering 
into  a  state  of  eternal  felicity,  hereafter,  so  being  cast 
into  hell,  being  the  opposite  of  entering  into  life,  seems 
to  favor  the  opinion  that  this  hell  is  in  the  future,  eter- 
nal world. 

In  replying  to  this  argument,  we  shall  bring  the 
principal  design  of  the  text  before  the  hearer,  and  in- 
troduce the  argument  of  the  Saviour  for  the  purpose 
for  which  he  used  it. 

And  here  the  hearer  is  called  on  to  observe  that  the 
objection  to  which  we  are  now  about  to  reply  is  in  fact, 
founded  on  a  mistake.  By  entering  into  life,  we  have 
no  evidence  to  believe,  that  the  Saviour  had  any  allu- 
sion to  entering  into  a  state  of  complete  happiness,  in 
the  eternal,  immortal  state  ;  but  we  have  evidence  to 
the  contrary  of  this,  even  in  the  text  itself.  Observe 
the  words ;  "  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life 
maimed,"  &c.  He  surely  did  not  mean,  that  men 
were  to  enter  into  a  state  of  immortality  in  the  eternal 
world  maimed. 

John  Baptist,  says ;  "  he  that  believeth  on  the  Son 
hath  everlasting  life."  St.  John  says,  "  we  know  that 
we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love 
the  brethren."  St.  Paul  says,  "  there  is,  therefore, 
now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Je- 
sus, who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit. 
For  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath 
made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death."  To 
the  Ephesians  he  says  ;  "  But  God,  who  is  rich  in 
mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even 
when  we  were  dead  in  sin,  hath  quickened  us  togeth- 
er with  Christ."  This  is  that  life  into  which  those 
who  believe  and  obey  the  gospel  enter  maimed. 

But  the  immortal  state  is  represented  glorious  and 
complete. 

We  shall  now  solicit  the  attention  of  the  audience 
to  the  consideration  of  what  is  meant  by  being  maimed, 
in  our  text,  and  to  an  illustration  of  the  proper  object 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  195 

of  the  Saviour's  argument.  Observe  the  introduction  of 
our  subject.  "  And  whosoever  shall  offend  one  of  these 
little  ones  that  believe  in  me,  it  is  better  for  him  that  a 
millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  lie  were  cast 
into  the  sea.  And  if  thy  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off; 
for  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed,"  &c. 

The  evident  meaning  of  the  Saviour  seems  to  be 
this  ;  if  one  of  your  nearest  connexions  in  the  world, 
even  if  one  as  dear  to  you  as  a  hand,  should  oppose 
your  yielding  obedience  to  the  gospel,  part  with  this 
dear  connexion  rather  than  part  with  divine  truth. 
And  though  you  thereby  feel  as  one  who  has  lost  a 
hand,  yet  what  you  gain  is  more  than  what  you  lose. 
In  this  connexion,  Jesus  mentions  the  cutting  off  of  a 
foot,  and  the  plucking  out  of  an  eye  for  the  same  cause 
as  the  cutting  off  of  the  hand  ;  and  it  is  very  evident 
that  this  recommendation  was  given  on  account  of  the 
opposition  that  was  constantly  in  exercise  against 
the  cause  of  truth,  and  which  he  knew  would  increase 
unto  grievous  persecution. 

Jesus  said,  "  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  send 
peace  on  earth  ;  I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a  sword. 
For  I  am  come  to  set  a  man  at  variance  against  his 
father,  and  the  daughter  against  her  mother,  and  the 
daughter-in-law  against  her  mother-in-law.  And  a 
man's  foes  shall  be  they  of  his  own  household.  He 
that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me  is  not  wor- 
thy of  me  :  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter  more 
than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me.  And  he  that  taketh 
not  his  cross  and  followeth  after  me  is  not  worthy  of 
me.  He  that  findeth  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and  he  that 
loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it." 

It  was  hard  indeed  for  the  disciples  of  Jesus  to  part 
with  such  tender  connexions,  and  they,  no  doubt, 
felt,  in  some  respect,  as  people  do,  who  have  lost  a 
hand,  a  foot,  or  an  eye  ;  but  then  on  the  other  hand, 
they  had  Jesus  who  is  worth  more  than  all  they 
lost. 

St.  Paul  was  called  to  enter  into  life  at  the  expense 
of  all  that  he  held  dear,  of  a  worldly  nature.  Brought 
up  at  the   feet  of  Gamaliel,  educated  a  Pharisee,  in 


196  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

high  esteem  among  his  people,  and  in  the  confidence 
of  the  high  Priest  of  his  nation  ;  in  his  youth  when  his 
prospects  were  exceedingly  flattering,  and  at  a  moment 
when  he  was  engaged  in  rendering  all  possible  service 
to  the  interest  of  those  authorities,  which  were  hostile 
to  the  cause  and  disciples  of  Christ,  he  is  called  to  em- 
brace the  Saviour,  and  to  part  with  all  his  connexions 
and  friends  on  earth.  He  entered  into  life  maimed, 
He  felt  like  one  who  has  lost  a  hand,  a  foot,  and  an 
eye,  but  thereby  saved  his  life.  How  often  would  ; 
such  a  person  think  of  the  members  gone.  How  often 
would  he  say,  O  that  my  hand,  my  foot,  and  my  eye 
could  again  be  restored.  So  it  was  with  St.  Paul.  He 
says,  "  I  say  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my  con- 
science also  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  I  have  great  heaviness  and  continual  sorrow  in 
my  heart.  For  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accurs- 
ed from  Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh."  And  again,  he  says,  "Brethren,  my 
heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that 
they  might  be  saved."  But  there  he  saw  them,  de- 
voted to  the  worm  and  fire,  described  by  the  prophet 
Isaiah. — They  were  the  Apostle's"  kinsmen  according 
to  the  flesh."  They  were  to  him  like  lost  members 
of  his  body,  for  whom  he  exercised  great  and  continu- 
al concern. 

Will  the  advocate  for  endless  punishment  say,  that 
St.  Paul's  concern  for  his  brethren  was  because  he 
believed  they  would  never  obtain  mercy  ?  Will  any 
pretend  that  Paul  was  heavy-hearted,  because  he  be- 
lieved as  many  do  now,  that  they  were  consigned  over 
to  endless  wo  ? 

Such  a  supposition  is  in  direct  opposition  to  the 
clear  and  luminous  arguments  which  this  Apostle 
has  left  recorded  in  his  epistles,  particularly  in  the 
11th  of  Romans,  where  he  fully  explains  the  occasion 
of  the  blindness  of  the  Jews,  and  largely  vindicates 
their  final  re-admission  to  favor.  Speaking  to  the 
Gentile  believers,  he  says;  "For  as  ye  in  times  past 
have  not  believed  God,  but  have  now  obtained  mer- 
cy through  their  unbelief,  even  so  have  these  now  not 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  197 

believed,  that  through  your  mercy,  they  also  may  ob- 
tain mercy."  And  as  has  been  before  noticed,  he  says 
"All  Israel  shall  be  saved." 

It  surely  would  be  very  contrary  to  the  prospects 
of  the  christian  hope,  to  suppose  that  St.  Paul,  or  any 
other  Saint  would  spend  an  eternity  in  the  maimed 
condition  that  he  was  in,  in  consequence  of  leaving 
his  brethren  in  darkness  and  unbelief. 

Many  professed  Christians  in  our  times,  and  indeed 
many  professed  preachers  of  the  gospel,  feel  or  affect 
to  feel  great  concern  for  fear  the  souls  of  their  fellow 
creatures  will  be  finally  sentenced  to  everlasting  tortures 
in  the  eternal  world.  This  is  a  maimedness,  which 
St.  Paul  has  informed  us  nothing  of.  But  those  who 
now  believe  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  and  yield  obedi- 
ence to  its  requirements,  enter  into  life  maimed.  They 
are  called  to  part  with  dear  connexions,  which  are  near 
to  them  as  the  members  of  their  bodies. 

The  false  religion  of  anti-christ,  like  the  doctrines  of 
the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees  of  old,  has  so  estab- 
lished itself  by  the  power  of  tradition,  is  guarded  and 
supported  by  so  many  means,  which  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world  are  honorable,  that  to  call  it  in  question,  to 
presume  to  bring  it  into  the  light  for  examination  ex- 
cites great  alarm  among  its  friends.  One  who  has 
been  brought  up  and  educated  according  to  the  ortho- 
dox creed,  joined  a  church,  and  formed  an  extensive 
connexion  in  religious  society,  has  kind  and  affection- 
ate parents,  brothers  and  sisters,  who  are  respectable 
members  of  the  same  communion,  by  some  means 
which  heaven  has  appointed  is  called  to  reflect  on  some 
of  the  doctrines  of  the  church,  by  way  of  query.  Such 
questions  as  the  following  arise  in  the  mind.  How  is 
it  that  a  wise,  kind,  and  merciful  Creator  has  predesti- 
nated, from  eternity,  millions  of  human  beings  to  end- 
less and  unspeakable  torments  ?  In  his  providence, 
he  is  universally  kind  ;  he  openeth  his  hand  and  satisfi- 
ed the  desire  of  every  living  thing ;  why  should  he 
not  be  as  universally  kind  in  the  economy  of  his  spirit- 
ual grace  ?  We  read  in  the  scriptures,  that  "  God 
commended  this  love  toward  us,  in  that  while  we  were 
1 7  * 


198  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

yetsinness,  Christ  died  for  us,"  We  furthermore 
read  thatjesus  Christ  the  righteous  is  the  propitiation 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  Why  should  the 
scriptures  speak  in  such  terms  if  a  few  only  of  the  hu 
man  family  are  subjects  of  the  divine  favor  ?  These 
thoughts  and  many  others  revolve  in  the  mind  of  the 
supposed  individual.  The  person  thus  exercised  feels 
a  strong  desire  to  speak  with  some  one  on  the  subject ; 
but  fears  arise  that  it  may  give  offence  !  The  matter 
is  suffered  to  rest  for  the  present;  the  person  goes  to 
the  house  of  worship  with  a  determination  to  learn 
something,  if  possible,  that  may  assist  in  solving  these 
queries.  The  minister  prays  ;  and  in  his  prayer  he 
fervently  entreats  the  Father  of  mercies  to  send  forth 
the  light  and  power  of  the  gospel  even  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth,  that  all  may  be  brought  to  a  saving  know- 
ledge of  God.  This  prayer  awakens  the  attention  of 
our  querist,  who  now  says  ;  why  does  my  minister  pray 
for  all  the  world  if  he  has  no  faith  for  the  whole  ?  The 
minister  preaches ;  and  his  sermon  is  designed  to  prove 
the  divine  sovereignty  in  electing  some  to  everlasting 
life,  and  predestinating  others  to  endless  destruction. 
This  contradiction  between  the  prayer  and  the  sermon 
tries  the  mind  exceedingly.  The  person  goes  home, 
finally  feels  such  powerful  exercises  of  mind,  that  a 
determination  is  formed  to  talk  with  others  on  the  sub- 
ject. 

No  sooner  are  these  queries  made  known  to  the 
dearest  connexions  in  life,  than  surprise  is  manifested ; 
and  the  person  asked  whether  he  is  disposed  to  call  in 
question  the  mysterious  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  doubt 
the  creed,  and  pretend  to  be  wiser  than  the  minister  ? 
But  all  does  not  satisfy  the  mind,  into  which  a  few 
scattering  beams  of  divine  light  have  found  their  way. 
Says  the  supposed  person,  I  will  go  for  once  and  hear 
a  preacher  who  holds  up  Jesus  a  universal  Saviour. 
Yes,  this  I  must  do,  and  if  I  am  despised  for  it  I  must 
bear  it.  It  is  accordingly  so  done,  and  God  blesses 
the  word  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  heavy  ladened  soul, 
and  Jesus  now  appears  Lord  of  all,  Lord  of  the  dead 
and  the  living  ;  and  the  enraptured  soul  says,  I   have 


BALLOu's    LECTURES.  199 

seen  and  must  testify  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to 
be  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  With  the  heart  the  per- 
son believes  unto  righteousness,  and  with  the  mouth 
confession  is  made  unto  salvation.  What  is  next  ? 
The  church  disowns  this  member  and  casts  it  out ; 
family  connexions  grow  cold  and  alienated  in  their  af- 
fections, and  this  lonely  individual  enters  into  life 
maimed. 

What  a  loss  is  here  !  Perhaps  father,  mother,  broth- 
ers, sisters,  are  parted  with.  Yea,  perhaps  a  husband 
or  a  wife,  as  the  case  may  be. 

Joys  arise  on  the  one  hand,  peace  is  found  in  be- 
lieving, and  a  free  universal  gospel  is  life  to  the  soul. 
On  the  other  hand  heaviness  of  heart,  that  those  dear 
connexions,  which  are  left  in  gloomy  darkness,  and  are 
exercised  with  the  awful  terrors  of  everlasting  misery, 
cannot  now  see  and  rejoice  in  this  heavenly,  glorious 
truth,  that  "  God  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men." 

But,  my  brethren  and  sisters,  though  many  of  you 
have  entered  into  life  maimed ;  though  you  have  left 
fathers,  mothers,  companions,  brethren  and  sisters, 
sons  and  daughters,  you  are  satisfied  that  it  is  better 
to  enter  into  life  thus  maimed,  than  to  be  cast  into  that 
ceaseless  fire  of  erroneous  creeds,  and  to  be  gnawed 
with  that  restless  worm  of  continual  fear. 

There  is  likewise  one  consolation  that  more  than  re- 
pays all  the  losses  you  sustain  ;  your  faith  and  hope 
enter  within  the  vail  where  Jesus  entered,  in  whom, 
dwells  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily ;  "  and  ye 
are  complete  in  him."  When  you  contemplate  the  ful- 
ness of  him  who  filleth  all  things,  you  perceive  that 
God  has  purposed  to  "  gather  together  in  one  all  things 
in  Christ."  You  "  know  that  the  head  of  every  man 
is  Christ,"  and  that  not  a  bone  of  him  shall  be  broken. 
You  therefore  anticipate  the  time,  when  you  shall  en- 
ter into  immortality  and  eternal  life,  not  maimed,  but 
being  complete  in  Christ  the  head  of  every  man,  all 
those  dear  connexions  who  oppose  you  here,  will  join 
you  there.  Those  who  could  not  commune  with  you 
here,  will  have  no  partial  creeds  there.  All  will  be  il- 
luminated with  the  radiant  sun  of  righteousness,  tears 


200  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

will  there  be  wiped  from  off  all  faces,  and  there  shall 
be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying,  neither 
shall  there  he  any  more  pain.  But  he  that  sitteth  up- 
on the  throne  shall  make  all  things  new  according  to 
the  pattern  shown  unto  the  disciples,  in  the  mount 
where  Jesus  was  transfigured. 

That  the  hearer  may  have  a  clear  and  distinct  un- 
derstanding of  the  general  subject  to  which  we  have 
attended,  a  comparison  should  be  carefully  made  be- 
tween the  state  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  in  this  pres- 
ent world,  where,  though  spiritual  life,  and  the  fruits 
of  the  spirit,  which  are  love,  joy.  peace,  long  suffering, 
gentleness,  goodness,  and  faith,  are  enjoyed,  yet  there 
are  many  sufferings ;  such  as  persecutions  for  the  sake 
of  the  word,  sorrows  of  heart  for  those  who  oppose 
the  truth,  and  all  the  maimedness  signified  in  our  text, 
and  of  which  mention  has  been  made,  with  that  per 
feet,  glorious,  and  immortal  state,  of  which  Jesus  spake 
when  treating  on  the  subject  of  the  resurrection,  and 
of  which  St.  Paul,  speaks  in  his  1st  epistle  to  the  Co- 
rinthians. 

The  opposer  will  now  say,  if  you  are  right,  why  is  it 
not  just  as  well  for  us  to  remain  ignorant  of  these 
truths  as  to  know  them?  What  difference  can  it 
make? 

In  reply,  we  will  ask  the  following  questions  : — Sup- 
pose some  deceived  person  should  be  led  to  believe, 
that  the  coming  spring  will  be  so  widely  different  from 
the  vernal  seasons  which  are  past,  that  in  room  of  a 
warmer  sun  than  winter  affords,  and  in  room  of  the 
usual  zephyrs  and  flowers  of  May,  the  sun  will  run  still 
lower  than  in  winter,  and  the  winds  be  more  chilling, 
the  frost  more  intense,  and  not  a  flower  will  be  seen, 
nor  a  bird  heard  to  sing;  further,  suppose  this  gloomy 
soul  should  persuade  thousands  to  believe  his  errors, 
and  should  spread  a  gloom  over  half  the  inhabitants 
of  our  country,  how  would  those,  who  remained  con- 
fident in  the  goodness  and  faithfulness  of  God,  feel  for 
their  deceived  friends  ?  Would  they  not  endeavor  to 
persuade  them  away  from  their  fears  ?  And  would  it 
be  just  as  well  for  those  who  should  be  thus  deceived, 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  201 


to  remain  in  their  error,  as  to  live  by  faith,  and  rejoice 
in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,  which  is  hastening  on  as 
fast  as  time  moves  ? 

Would  it  not  be  very  proper  to  say  to  the  people, 
who  in  consequence  of  this  gloomy  unbelief,  were  ma- 
king no  preparations  to  improve  the  lovely  season  of 
seed  time,  repent  of  your  errors,  see  to  your  concerns, 
be  ready  with  all  your  means,  for  the  spring  is  at  hand, 
the  days  grow  longer,  it  will  be  but  a  short  time  before 
the  flowers  shall  appear  and  the  time  of  the  singing  of 
birds  will  come  ? 


LECTURE  XV. 

ALL    MEN    THE    CHILDREN     OF    GOD.       DESTRUCTION    OF 

THE    DEVIL. 

HEBREWS  ii.  14,  15. 

Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also 
himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same;  that  through  death  he  might  des- 
troy him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil; — And  deliver  them 
who,  through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage. 

The  first  inquiry,  to  which  the  attention  of  the 
hearer  is  invited,  will  be  directed  to  ascertain  some 
particulars  relative  to  the  children  mentioned  in  our 
text. 

We  shall  see,  by  the  context,  that  these  children 
comprehend  the  whole  human  family.  In  reference 
to  a  passage  in  the  8th  Psalm,  the  Apostle  says ; 
"  But  one  in  a  certain  place  testified,  saying,  What  is 
man  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?  or  the  son  of  man 
that  thou  visitest  him  ?  Thou  madest  him  a  little  low- 
er than  the  angels ;  thou  crownedst  him  with  glory 
and  honor,  and  didst  set  him  over  the  works  of  thy 
hands  :  Thou  hast  put  all  things  in  subjection  under  his 
feet.  For  in  that  he  put  all  in  subjection  under  him, 
he  left  nothing  that  is  not  put  under  him.  But  now 
we  see  not  yet  all  things  put  under  him  :  But  we  see 
Jesus,  who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels  for 
the  suffering  of  death  crowned  with  glory  and  honor; 
that  he  by  the  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for  ev- 
ery man."  By  man,  it  is  evident,  the  Apostle  meant 
the  whole  humanity,  as  did  the  prophet  also  in  the 
passage  referred  to  ;  and  by  every  man,  he  meant  the 
same  thing  in  a  distributive  view. 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  203 


The  Apostle's  argument  evidently  amounts  to  this; 
the  glory  and  honor  to  which  man  was  originally  des- 
tined by  his  Creator,  we  now  see  complete  in  Je- 
sus, who  tasted  death  for  every  man,  and  in  him 
only. 

Immediately  following  what  we  have  just  quoted  from 
-our  context,  the  author,  in  giving  the  reason  for  the 
sufferings  of  Jesus  calls  the  whole  human  nature,  ta- 
ken in  the  distributive  sense  before  noticed,  sons; 
"  For  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by 
whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  unto  glory, 
to  make  the  captain  of  their  salvation  perfect  through 
sufferings. " 

Here  it  is  important  that  we  notice  distinctly  that 
the  Apostle  designed  to  speak  of  the  Creator  when  he 
spake  of  him,  "  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom 
are  all  things ;"  and  when  he  spake  of  many  sons,  he 
meant  the  same  as  he  did  by  every  man  ;  and  when  he 
spake  of  bringing  many  sons  to  glory,  he  meant  the 
bringing  of  every  man  to  the  glory  which  we  see  in 
Jesus,  of  which  he  had  just  spoken. 

Directly  following  our  last  quotation,  the  author 
calls  these  many  sons,  who  are  to  be  brought  unto 
glory,  the  brethren  of  him  who  is  their  sanctifier,  and 
says  that  they  are  one  with  him.  "  For  both  he  that 
sanctifieth  and  they  who  are  sanctified  are  all  of  one  : 
for  which  cause  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  breth- 
ren :  saying,  I  will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  breth- 
ren ;  in  the  midst  of  the  church  will  I  sing  praise 
unto  thee." 

By  him  who  sanctifieth,  the  author  means  Jesus, 
who  is  the  captain  of  our  salvation ;  by  those  who  are 
sanctified,  he  means  every  man  or  the  many  sons,  of 
whom  he  had  just  spoken,  and  by  brethren  he  means 
the  same  thing,  and  furthermore  he  calls  them  the 
church. 

Our  author  introduces  our  glorified  Saviour,  as  say- 
ing ;  "  Behold  I,  and  the  children  which  God  hath  giv- 
en me."  These  children  are  the  same  as  expressed 
dy  the  Apostle  in  the  following  words  which  have 
been  quoted  ;  "  What  is  man  ? "  meaning  the  whole 


204  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

human  nature.  "  Every  man,"  meaning  the  same. 
"  Many  sons,"  comprehending  the  same.  "  Brethren" 
of  the  great  sanctifier  ;  "  The  church."  These  are 
the  children  mentioned  in  our  text,  who  are  partakers 
of  flesh  and  blood. 

Having  ascertained  in  the  first  section  of  our  inquiry, 
that  the  children  mentioned  in  our  text  comprehend 
the  whole  human  family,  we  may  attempt 

2dly,  To  show  who  is  the  Father  of  these  children. 
This  question  is  settled  at  once  by  the  author  in  the 
context,  in  the  following  words  which  have  been  no- 
ticed ;  "  For  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things, 
and  by  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  un- 
to glory,  to  make  the  captain  of  their  salvation  perfect 
through  sufferings."  These  many  sons,  who  are 
brought  unto  glory,  are  the  children  mentioned  in  our 
text,  and  he  for  whom  are  all  things,  and  by  whom  are 
all  things,  is  the  Father  of  these  children. 

If  it  seem  incorrect  to  the  hearer,  to  call  all  men  the 
children  of  God,  and  if  any  objection  be  made  to  this 
doctrine  on  account  of  the  sinfulness  of  man's  charac- 
ter, our  argument  may  be  supported  by  the  following 
considerations. 

St.  Luke  in  tracing  the  genealogy  of  Jesus  carries 
it  up  to  the  creation  of  man,  and  says ;  "  Which  was 
the  son  of  Enos,  which  was  the  son  of  Seth,  which 
was  the  son  of  Adam,  which  was  the  son  of  God."  If 
it  be  proper  to  call  Adam  the  son  of  God,  it  seems  also 
to  be  proper  to  call  all  the  descendants  of  this  first 
man,  the  children  of  God. 

If  the  objection  be  urged  on  account  of  the  sinful 
character  of  man,  we  reply,  that  the  children  do  not 
destroy  this  relation  by  disobedience.  For  as  the  re- 
lation of  parent  and  child  certainly  exists  before  the 
child  becomes  active  in  obedience,  or  disobedience ;  it 
would  be  false  reasoning  to  argue  that  obedience  could 
constitute  this  relation,  or  that  disobedience  would  dis- 
annul it.  The  Lord  says,  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah ; 
"  Turn,  O  backsliding  children,  saith  the  Lord ;  for  I 
am  married  unto  you."     Thus  the  divine  Being  ad- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  205 

dresses  the  wicked  by  the  endearing  appellation  of 
children. 

That  it  is  consistent  with  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  to 
allow  that  sinners  are  the  children  of  God,  this  divine 
teacher  fully  shows  where  he  teaches  us  to  pray,  and 
say  ;  "  Our  father  which  art  in  heaven — forgive  us 
our  sins."  Here  Jesus  teaches  the  sinner  to  call  God 
his  Father. 

St.  Paul,  speaking  to  the  Athenians,  as  recorded  in 
the  17th  Acts,  said  ;  "  God  that  made  the  world,  and 
all  things  therein, — hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations 
of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth,  and 
hath  determined  the  times  before  appointed,  and  the 
bounds  of  their  habitation  ;  that  they  should  seek  the 
Lord,  if  haply  they  might  feel  after  him,  and  find  him, 
though  he  be  not  far  from  every  one  of  us* ;  for  in  him 
we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being ;  as  certain  also 
of  your  own  poets  have  said,  for  we  are  also  his  off- 
spring." According  to  this  declaration,  "  all  nations 
of  men"  are  the  offspring  of  God.     Let  us  inquire, 

3dly.  What  this  relation  of  all  men  to  the  divine  Be- 
ing consists  in  ? 

It  seems  that  the  simple  fact  of  man's  being  creat- 
ed, or  formed  of  the  dust  of  the  ground  by  the  hand 
of  God,  is  not  altogether  a  sufficient  cause  to  account 
for  his  being  called  his  offspring  ;  for  it  is  evident 
that  all  other  creatures  and  things  were  equally  the 
production  of  the  divine  Power;  but  the  beasts  of  the 
field,  the  fowl  of  heaven,  the  fish  of  the  sea  are  not  call- 
ed the  offspring  and  children  of  God. 

If  a  man,  who  is  a  mechanic,  contrive  and  make  nev- 
er so  curious  or  valuable  a  piece  of  machinery,  it  would 
not  justify  our  calling  him  the  father  of  this  production 
of  his  skill,  nor  would  it  justify  our  calling  this  machine 
the  son,  child,  or  offspring  of  him  who  made  it.  But 
if  a  man  have  born  to  him  a  child,  this  child  par- 
takes of  the  very  nature  of  the  parent,  and  it  is  this 
participation  which  constitutes  the  relation  of  father 
and  child.  So  if  the  "  Father  of  spirits"  has  so  con- 
stituted man,  that,  he  is  a  partaker  of  his  nature,  he 

18 


206  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

is,  in  a  most  proper  and  divine  sense  the  child  and 
offspring  of  God. 

This  is  the  nature  of  the  relation  which  constitutes 
all  men  the  children  of  God,  and  this  relation  lies  at 
the  foundation  of  the  divine  economy,  by  which  we 
are  amply  provided  with  all  things  which  appertain 
to  life  and  godliness.  This  relation  accounts  for  all 
which  we  read  in  scriptures  of  the  love,  mercy,  and 
compassions  of  the  divine  Being  towards  man.  We 
cannot  conceive  the  possibility  of  any  being's  loving 
that  which  is  totally  different  from  itself. 

But  man  "  is  the  image  and  glory  of  God,"  and  it 
is  as  consistent  with  the  nature  of  things,  for  God  to 
love  his  own  image  in  mankind,  as  it  is  for  parents  to 
love  their  image  in  their  children. 

This  relation  accounts  for  the  moral  obligation  that 
men  are  under  to  love  God  above  every  other  object. 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord,  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength," 
is  not  an  arbitrary  command,  but  is  established  on  the 
nature  of  the  divine  relation  in  which  we  stand  to  our 
Father  which  is  in  heaven.  If  there  were  in  nature 
any  thing  more  calculated  to  happify  mankind  than  is 
the  divine  Being,  that  thing  would  certainly  have  the 
greatest  claim  on  our  love. 

But  this  is  not  the  case ;  there  is  not  in  the  whole 
universe  any  thing  so  favorable  to  man,  as  is  the 
Father  of  his  spirit.  God  is  the  fountain  from  which 
we  came,  and  nothing  but  God  can  satisfy  the 
soul. 

David  said ;  "  As  the  heart  panteth  after  the  water- 
brooks,  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God.  My 
soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God."  If  water 
were  not  a  part  of  the  composition  of  the  human  body, 
we  should  never  feel  a  desire  for  it,  nor  could  it  give 
us  the  least  refreshment.  So  if  we  were  not  partakers 
of  the  divine  nature  in  our  constitution  as  mortal  be- 
ings, we  could  never  feel  the  least  desire  for  God,  nor 
couid  the  communications  of  the  divine  Spirit  give  us 
life  or  any  refreshment.  How  eagerly  does  one  who 
is  thirsty  receive  the  cooling  draught,  and   with   what 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  207 

exquisite  pleasure  does  he  slake  his  parching  thirst 
Jesus  says :  "  If  any  man  thirst  let  him  come  unto 
me  and  drink  ;"  Drink  what  ?  The  spirit  of  truth 
which  is  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting 
life. 

This  divine  relation,  which  constitutes  all  men  the 
children  of  God,  explains  the  meaning  of  such  passa- 
ges as  the  following ;  "  For  the  earnest  expectation  of 
the  creature  waiteth  for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons 
of  God.  —Because  the  creature  itself  also  shall  be  de- 
livered from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the  glori- 
ous liberty  of  the  children  of  God  : — For  we  know  that, 
if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved, 
we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.  For  in  this  we  groan, 
earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with  our  house 
which  is  from  heaven.  For  we  that  are  in  this  taber- 
nacle do  groan,  being  burdened  ;  not  for  that  we  would 
be  unclothed,  but  clothed  upon,  that  mortality  might 
be  swallowed  up  of  life."  In  these  passages  men  are 
represented  as  the  sons  of  God,  and  while  they  are  in 
the  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle,  they  are  consider- 
ed in  a  state  of  bondage,  from  which  they  groan  to  be 
delivered ;  and  the  state  into  which  they  are  to  enter 
when  the  earthly  house  is  dissolved,  is  the  glorious  lib 
erty  of  the  children  of  God,  to  inhabit  a  house  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens. 

Now  if  man  was  wholly  of  an  earthly  nature, 
if  the  natural  elements  which  constitute  his  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle  compose  the  whole  of  his  na- 
ture, would  there  be  the  least  shadow  of  sense  in  such 
scriptures  ? 

To  conclude  this  general  inquiry  concerning  the 
children  mentioned  in  our  text,  we  may  ask,  in  what 
way  the  passage  under  consideration  is  to  be  under- 
stood, unless  this  divine  relation  of  mankind  to  the  Fa- 
ther of  our  spirits  be  granted  ?  "  The  children  are 
partakers  of  flesh  and  blood  ;  "  If  the  children  were 
nothing  but  flesh  and  blood,  why  is  it  said,  that  they 
are  jmrtakers  of  flesh  and  blood  ?  "  He  (Jesus  )  also 
himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  Lame."     I  Jesus   con 


208  BALLOU  S     LECTURES. 

sisted  only  of  flesh  and  blood,  is  it  intelligible  language 
to  say,  he  took  part  of  the  same  ? 

But  the  christian  hearer  will  say  at  once,  that  he 
has  no  doubt  that  Jesus  partook  of  the  divine  nature, 
and  stood  in  a  constituted  relation  to  his  Father,  and 
was  something  besides  flesh  and  blood.  Now  when 
all  this  is  conceded,  the  hearer's  attention  is  invit- 
ed to  reconsider  a  part  of  the  context  which  has  been 
noticed  ;  "  For  both  he  that  sanctifieth  and  they  who 
are  sanctified  are  all  of  one;  for  which  cause  he  is  not 
ashamed  to  call  them  brethren."  If  Jesus,  who  is 
the  sanctifier,  and  mankind  who  are  sanctified  by  him, 
are  all  of  one,  so  that  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  men 
his  brethren,  then  it  is  plain  that  the  nature  of  the  rela- 
tion of  Jesus  to  the  Father  is  the  nature  of  the  relation 
of  every  man  to  the  Father  of  our  spirits.  And  this 
agrees  with  the  scripture  which  saith  that  Jesus  is 
"  the  first-born  among  many  brethren." 

The  hearer  is  cautioned  against  supposing  that  we 
mean  to  level  the  blessed  Redeemer  to  no  more  than 
equality  with  ourselves,  by  contending  that  the  relation 
in  which  we  stand  to  our  Father  and  his  Father;  to 
our  God  and  his  God,  is  the  same  in  which  he  himself 
stands  ;  for  though  all  this  is  evident  from  the  scrip- 
tures, yet  it  is  also  contained  in  them,  that  "  God  hath 
highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  that  is  above 
every  name  that  is  named,  whether  in  this  world  or 
that  which  is  to  come  ;  that  in  the  name  of  Jesus  every 
knee  should  bow,  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  on 
earth,  and  things  under  the  earth ;  and  that  every 
tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  is  Lord  to  the  glory 
of  God  the  Father." 

We  may  now  notice  the  moral  condition  which  our 
text  and  context  give  to  the  children  named  in  the  text, 
and  concerning  whom  we  have  endeavored  to  direct 
the  foregoing  researches. 

On  this  question  we  may  say  but  little ;  as  the  sub- 
ject is  rendered  sufficiently  clear  by  the  scripture  un- 
der consideration  and  its  connexion. 

In  our  text,  these  children  are  said  to  be  partakers 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  209 

of  flesh  and  blood,  and  to  be  in  bondage  through  fear 
of  death.  Just  above  the  Apostle  had  said,  as  has 
been  twice  noticed ;  "  Both  he  that  sanctifieth  and 
they  who  are  sanctified  are  all  of  one,"  &c.  By  this 
we  learn  that  the  children  were  in  an  unsanctified  state, 
which  rendered  their  sanctification  necessary.  And 
this  agrees  with  the  following  account  which  we  find  in 
the  Apostle's  writing  to  the  Ephesians ;  "  Husbands 
love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church, 
and  gave  himself  for  it ;  that  he  might  sanctify  and 
cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word  ; 
that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church, 
not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;  but 
that  it  should  be  holy,  and  without  blemish." 

This  is  the  church  of  which  mention  is  made  in 
our  context:  "I  will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  breth- 
ren; in  the  midst  of  the  church  will  I  sing  praise  unto 
thee." 

This  is  the  church  which  Jesus  loved,  when  it  was 
unsanctified,  unclean,  full  of  spots  and  wrinkles,  and 
in  a  state  of  bondage.  This  church  consists  of  every 
man  or  the  whole  human  family,  as  the  Apostle  saith 
in  the  place  where  our  text  lies ;  "  But  we  see  Jesus, 
who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  for  the 
suffering  of  death,  crowned  with  glory  and  honor ; 
that  he  by  the  grace  of  God  might  taste  death  for 
every  man." 

Our  next  inquiry  may  be  directed  to  obtain  the 
meaning  of  the  following  words;  "  He  also  himself 
likewise  took  part  of  the  same ;  that  through  death  he 
might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is, 
the  devil." 

These  words  seem  to  indicate  the  following  things  ; 
— 1st.  That  the  devil  has  the  power  of  death.  2d. 
That  the  devil  may  be  destroyed.  3d.  That  the 
means  by  which  the  devil  can  be  destroyed  is  that  of 
death.  And,  4th.  That  Jesus  took  on  him  flesh  and 
blood  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  devil,  by  means 
of  death.  Apprehensions  are  entertained  that  we  are 
about  to  encounter  some  formidable  difficulties  in  the 
progress  of  this  inquiry,  especially  if  we  entertain  the 

IS* 


210  BALLOU's     LECTURES. 

opinion  concerning  the  devil,  which  has  been  general- 
ly believed.  This  opinion  supposes,  that  the  devil  is 
an  immortal  spirit,  that  he  was  once  an  angel  of  light, 
and  an  inhabitant  of  heaven,  in  which  God  and  holy 
angels  dwell.  It  supposes  that  this  angel  rebelled 
against  the  Almighty,  for  which  cause  he  was  driven 
out  of  heaven,  and  cast  down  to  hell,  where  he  will  ex- 
ist in  unspeakable  torments  as  long  as  God  shall  exist 
in  heaven,  happiness,  and  glory. 

Dr.  Watts,  whose  opinion,  concerning  the  devil, 
orsatan,  was  according  to  the  wisdom  of  other  doctors, 
has  left  the  following  as  his  sentiment,  to  be  read  and 
sung  in  christian  devotion  : 

"  Far  in  the  deep  where  darkness  dwells, 
The  land  of  horror  and  despair. 
Justice  hath  built  a  dismal  hell, 
And  laid  her  stores  of  vengeance  there . 

Eternal  plagues,  and  heavy  chains, 
Tormenting  racks  and  fiery  coals, 
And  darts  t'  inflict  immortal  pains 
Dy'd  in  the  blood  of  damned  souls. 

There  Satan  the  first  sinner  lies, 

And  roars  and  bites  his  iron  bands; 

In  vain  the  rebel  strives  to  rise, 

Crushed  with  the  weight  of  both  thy  hands." 

Now  it  is  certainly  very  difficult,  according  to  this 
doctrine,  to  account  for  all  that,  the  scriptures  say  in- 
dicating that  the  devil  has  continually  sojourned  in 
this  world.  This  same  author  supposes  that  this  satan, 
who  lies  in  the  "  dismal  hell"  of  which  he  spake,  crush- 
ed with  the  weight  of  both  the  hands  of  the  Almighty, 
and  who  strives  to  rise  from  his  confinement  in  vain, 
was  the  tempter  who  beguiled  our  mother  Eve.  He 
says; 

"  When  satan  in  the  serpent  hid, 
Proposed  the  fruit  that  God  forbid." 

And  not  only  does  this  common  opinion  about  the 
devil,  suppose  he  was  the  tempter,  who  beguiled  Eve, 
but  it   supposes  that  he  is   present    with  every  man 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  211 

through  his  whole  lifetime  on  earth,   tempting  us    to 
sin  ! 

But  our  authors  have  not  told  us  how  the  devil  can 
be  confined  to  that  "  dismal  hell,"  of  which  they  say 
so  much,  and  at  the  same  time  be  here  on  earth  to  su- 
perintend the  vast  affairs  of  sin  and  wickedness  through- 
out all  nations  and  kingdoms  of  the  world. 

There  are  more  difficulties  still  which  we  must  dis 
pose  of  as  prudently  as  possible. 

If  the  devil  be  in  fact  an  immortal  spirit,  and  if  he 
be  confined  to  a  state  of  endless  misery,  how  shall  we 
understand  the  Apostle  in  our  text,  who  says,  that 
Jesus  took  flesh  and  blood,  that  through  death  he 
might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that 
is,  the  devil  ? 

How  could  Jesus,  by  dying,  destroy  an  immortal, 
spiritual  being  ?  and  one  too  who  is  to  exist  as  long 
as  Jesus  shall  exist  ? 

Not  only  is  it  believed,  that  the  devil  will  exist  as 
long  as  Jesus,  who  died  to  destroy  him,  but  it  is  like- 
wise believed  that  he  will  be  able  to  maintain  his  gov- 
ernment over  a  much  larger  number  of  the  human 
race,  than  will  ever  be  made  subject  to  the  laws  of  the 
Redeemer.  In  support  of  this  opinion,  such  passa- 
ges of  scripture  as  the  following  are  frequently  cited  ; 
"Many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen. — Wide  is  the 
gate  and  broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruc- 
tion, and  many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat :  Because 
strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which  lead- 
eth unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it."  It  is  be- 
lieved that  the  adversary  is  continually  exerting  him- 
self and  using  all  his  infernal  arts  to  lead  men  into 
sin,  that  the  divine  Being  may  be  moved  to  sentence 
them  to  his  dismal  abode,  where  he  may  have  the  con- 
trol of  them  forever  ;  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  believed 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  continually  employing  all  the  means 
of  grace  to  bring  sinners  to  repentance,  that  they  may 
be  his  happy  subjects  in  the  eternal  world ;  but  the 
result  of  all  these  counter  operations,  and  this  war- 
fare between  Christ  and  the  adversary  will  be  a  few  to 
the  praise  of  the  glory  of  the  Redeemer's  name,  and 


212  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

many  victims  to  the  more  successful  endeavors  of  the 
prince  of  darkness  ! 

Notwithstanding  these  sentiments  are  thought  to  be 
true,  and  of  essential  importance  in  the  christian  doc- 
trine, yet  we  hear  abundance  said,  find  much  written, 
and  not  a  little  sung  of  the  glorious  victory  which  Je- 
sus won  over  the  adversary,  when  he  died,  and  rose 
from  the  dead.  But  if  those  sentiments  be  correct, 
which  give  the  result  of  the  warfare  between  Christ 
and  the  adversary,  so  much  in  favor  of  the  latter,  it  is 
evident  that  another  contest,  and  one  more  like  vic- 
tory would  establish  the  adversary  in  universal  domin- 
ion ! 

That  we  may,  at  once  deliver  our  minds  from  all  the 
inconsistencies  which  the  common  opinion  concerning 
the  devil  involves,  let  us  avail  ourselves  of  the  import- 
ant fact,  that  no  such  sentiment  is  found  in  the  scrip- 
tures, nor  in  the  least  favored  by  reason  or  common 
sense. 

That  the  devil  was  ever  a  holy  angel  we  have  no  ac- 
count in  the  scriptures  ;  that  any  man  was  ever  tempt- 
ed by  an  agent  distinct  from  the  powers  of  flesh  and 
blood  we  have  no  reason  to  believe.  St.  James  says  ; 
"  Every  man  is  tempted,  when  he  is  drawn  away  of 
his  own  lust,  and  enticed."  And  it  is  a  fact,  that  we 
are  never  tempted  to  commit  any  sin,  that  may  not  be 
accounted  for  without  a  separate  agent. 

The  word  devil,  or  satan,  means  an  adversary,  an 
enemy,  an  opposer.  And  this  character  every  man 
finds  in  himself.  Every  man,  being  a  partaker  of  flesh 
and  blood,  has  the  adversary  in  him,  who  tempts  him 
to  sin ;  and  can  say,  with  as  much  propriety  as  St. 
Paul  did,  "  In  me,  that  is  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no 
good  thing."  The  Apostle  further  says  ;  "  I  delight 
in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man.  But  I  see 
another  law  in  my  members  warring  against  the  law 
of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law 
of  sin  which  is  in  my  members."  Again  he  says,  "  the 
flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against 
the  flesh  ;  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other  ; 
so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  would  — Now 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  213 

the  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which  are  these  : 
adultery,  fornication,  uncleanness,  lasciviousness,  idola- 
try, witchcraft,  hatred,  variance,  emulations,  wrath, 
strife,  seditions,  heresies,  envyings,  murders,  drunken- 
ness, revellings,  and  such  like."  Again  he  says;  "  the 
carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  is  not  subject  to 
his  law,  neither  indeed  can  be." 

This  "carnal  mind,"  this  "law  of  sin,"  this  enmity 
against  God,  is  the  devil,  that  has  the  power  of  death, 
for  "  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death."  Corruption 
and  mortality  are  within  the  powers  of  flesh  and  blood, 
and  the  history  of  sin,  evil,  and  death  no  where  extends 
beyond  those  limits. 

This  power  of  the  flesh  was  figuratively  represented 
by  the  serpent,  which  beguiled   Eve ;  and  it  was  said 
to  the  serpent ;  "  dust  shalt  thou  eat  all  the  days  of 
thy  life."     The  prophet  Isaiah  says ;    "  dust  shall  be 
the  serpent's  meat." 

This  serpent  is  not  an  immortal  spirit ;  for  such  a 
spirit  surely  would  not  feed  on  dust ;  and  the  words, 
"  all  the  days  of  thy  life,"  certainly  indicate  that  the 
life  of  the  serpent  would  come  to  an  end. 

It  seems  that  our  subject  must  now  be  plainly  seen 
by  the  hearer. 

"  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  are  partakers  of 
flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part  of 
the  same  ;  that  through  death  he  might  destroy  him 
that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil."  That 
is,  as  the  children  of  God,  the  heirs  of  life  and  immor- 
tality are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  in  order  to  abol- 
ish death  and  bring  life  and  immortality  to  light ;  in 
order  to  destroy  the  devil  and  his  works,  and  to  tri- 
umph over  all  these  earthly  and  carnal  powers,  Jesus 
took  on  him  flesh  and  blood,  was  made  in  all  points 
like  unto  his  brethren,  was  tempted  in  all  points  as  we 
are,  subdued  every  temptation  of  the  flesh,  by  the  pow- 
er of  the  spirit  which  he  had  without  measure,  laid 
down  his  natural  life,  arose  from  the  dead  incorrupti- 
ble and  immortal.  "He  dieth  no  more;  death  hath 
no  more  dominion  over  him."  Flesh  and  blood  which 
cannot  inherit  the   kingdom  of  God,  and  corruption 


214  BALLOu's    LECTURES. 

which  cannot  inherit  incorruption  are  no  more.  The 
serpent's  days  are  ended,  he  has  no  more  dust  to  eat, 
he  is  destroyed  and  is  no  more. 

If  the  adversary  had  an  immortal  constitution,  could 
exist  out  of  flesh  and  blood  as  well  as  in  them,  the 
putting  off  all  flesh  and  blood,  would  only  demolish 
one  of  the  enemy's  encampments,  while  it  would 
leave  him  unbounded  space  and  eternity  to  occupy 
still. 

We  may  now  draw  to  a  conclusion,  by  an  attempt  to 
illustrate  the  following  clause  of  our  text ;  "  And  de- 
liver them,  who  through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their 
lifetime  subject  to  bondage." 

For  want  of  the  knowledge  of  life  and  immortality, 
which  Jesus  has  brought  to  light  by  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  men  are  perpetually  subject  to  bondage 
through  fear  of  death.  But  a  belief  in  the  gospel  of 
our  blessed  Redeemer  gives  us  a  complete  victory  over 
all  such  fears.  It  enters  the  silent,  dark  mansion  of 
the  dead  with  a  steady  clear  light  which  directs  us  to 
the  bright  abodes  of  immortal  life. 

The  disciples  of  Jesus,  who  were  favored  with  posi- 
tive evidence  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Saviour,  were 
so  completely  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  fear,  that 
they  never  hesitated  to  publish  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection  even  to  the  perpetual  hazard  of  their 
lives. 

Such  was  the  persuasion  which  St.  Paul  had  of  the 
truth  of  the  resurrection,  and  the  glory  of  the  future 
world,  that  he  said  ;  "  I  am  in  a  strait,  between  two, 
having  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ;  which 
is  far  better."  This  Apostle  built  all  his  hopes  of  a 
future  existence  on  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ.  He  says  ;  "  If  Christ  be  not  raised,  your  faith 
is  vain  ;  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins. — But  now  is  Christ 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first  fruits  of  them 
that  slept. — For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ 
shall  all  be  made  alive."  He  further  says  ;  "  The  first 
man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy  ;  the  second  man  is  the 
Lord  from  heaven. — And  as  we  have  borne  the  im- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  215 

age  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the 
heavenly." 

In  the  image  of  the  earthy  man  we  find  the  carnal 
mind,  which  is  enmity  against  God,  is  not  subject  to 
his  law,  neither  indeed  can  be.  AVe  find  a  law  in  our 
members  warring  against  the  law  of  our  mind,  and 
bringing  us  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin.  We  hud 
all  the  fruits  of  the  flesh,  and  all  the  devil,  of  which 
the  Apostle  speaks  in  our  text,  that  has  the  power  of 
death.  But  in  the  image  of  the  heavenly  man  none 
of  these  things  exist.  No  carnal  mind,  no  enmity 
against  God,  no  law  in  the  members  warring  against 
the  law  of  the  mind.  That  flesh  and  blood  which 
cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  that  cor- 
ruption which  cannot  inherit  incorruption,  will  exist 
no  more. 

The  "  whole  creation,"  thus  delivered  from  the  bon- 
dage of  corruption  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  will  realize  the  fulness  of  what  we  now 
see  but  in  part. 

My  brethren,  how  near  are  these  things  !  but  a 
moment,  as  it  were,  separates  us  from  the  immortal 
scenes  anticipated  by  the  christian  faith.  The  view  of 
these  eternal  things  and  a  steady  belief  in  them,  are 
present  victory  over  the  powers  of  the  flesh.  This  is 
indeed  a  holy  calling,  a  calling  to  heavenly-minded- 
ness  and  heavenly  conversation.  These  thoughts  and 
contemplations  are  blossoms  in  the  desert,  they  are 
pools  in  parched  ground.  This  doctrine  of  eternal  life 
is  a  river  in  a  dry  place,  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock 
in  a  weary  land. 

Jesus  says  ;  "  In  the  world  you  shall  have  tribulation, 
but  in  me  ye  shall  have  peace." 

My  friends  do  not  reject  and  refuse  this  peace,  this 
joy,  this  consolation,  because  it  is  free  to  all.  You  do 
not  refuse  the  light  and  warmth  of  the  sun  because  all 
men  have  it ;  why  then  will  you  turn  your  backs  on 
the  grace  of  Jesus  because  he  is  that  wisdom  which  is 
without  partiality  ? 


LECTURE    XVI. 

THE    SECOND    DEATH. 
REVELATION    xxi.  8. 

But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable,  and  murderers,  and 
whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their 
prut  in  the  lake  which  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone;  which  is  the  second 
death. 

This  passage  is  among  the  number  which  have 
been  used  to  prove  a  state  of  intolerable  misery  in  the 
eternal  world,  and  continually  recited  in  those  terri- 
fic sermons  which  were  designed  to  awaken  the  fears, 
and  operate  on  the  timidity  of  the  ignorant. 

Our  duty  leads  us  to  investigate  the  use  which  has 
been  made  of  this  passage,  to  examine  the  propriety 
of  its  common  application,  and  as  plainly  as  possible 
refute  whatever  may  appear  incongruous  with  the 
word  of  God,  and  the  doctrine  of  his  grace.  It  will 
likewise  be  expected,  that  suitable  labor  will  be  direct- 
ed to  discover  the  true  sense  of  this,  and  similar  pas- 
sages. 

Our  text  informs  us,  that  the  lake  oi  fire  and  brim- 
stone is  the  second  death,  and  as  this  death  is  called 
"  the  second  death,"  it  evidently  refers  to  a  first  death. 
The  common  doctrine  of  the  church  supposes  that  the 
first  death  is  the  death  of  the  natural  body,  and  the 
second  death  the  eternal  condemnation  of  the  soul  and 
body  after  the  resurrection,  in  a  state  of  the  most  ex- 
quisite torture. 

There  seems  to  be  no  small  inconsistency  in  this 
opinion,  in  that  it  makes  the  second  death  to  be  sec- 
ond to  something  as  entirely  different  from  itself  as 
any  thing  could  be  invented.  The  death  of  the  body 
consists  in  a  total  extinction  of  animal  life,  in  an  entire 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  217 

destitution  of  all  sense,  and  renders  the  subject  incapa- 
ble of  pleasure  or  pain.  Where  then  is  the  propriety 
of  calling  a  state  of  the  quickest  sensation,  and  the 
most  intolerable  misery  second  to  that  which  is  alto- 
gether unlike  it  ? 

While  a  person  lives  in  this  world,  he  is  subject  to 
sorrow,  adversity,  sickness,  and  pain.  Why  then 
would  it  not  seem  altogether  more  congruous  to  call  a 
state  of  misery  hereafter  the  second  life,  than  to  call  it 
the  second  death,  that  is,  second  to  the  death  of  the 
body? 

Another  very  great  inconsistency  in  the  common 
use  of  our  text  is,  that  it  supposes  that  after  people 
shall  have  ceased  from  all  the  sins  which  are  enumera- 
ted in  the  text,  and  are  in  a  constitution  of  existence 
in  which  no  such  crimes  can  ever  be  committed,  they 
are  then  and  there  to  be  tormented  for  what  they  did 
in  this  world.  No  one  supposes  that  there  will  be  un- 
believers, whoremongers,  idolaters,  &c.  in  the  eternal 
world.  What  reason  then  is  there  in  supposing  that 
in  a  world  where  no  crime  can  never  be  committed, 
crimes  will  be  eternally  punished  ?  In  this  world  we 
are  obliged  to  punish  crimes,  and  the  object  is  to  re- 
claim the  criminal,  or  to  deter  others  from  committing 
like  offences,  or  both.  But  what  is  this  punishment 
for  in  the  eternal  world,  in  which  no  one  pretends 
that  any  crime  can  ever  be  committed  ? 

Will  the  advocate  for  this  hereafter  punishment, 
pretend  that  it  is  inflicted  on  mankind  because  they 
have  been  sinful  in  this  world  ?  We  will  then  endeav- 
or to  show  that  this  is  not  a  correct  answer. 

Suppose  then  that  a  man  now  commits  a  crime,  say 
theft,  or  murder,  must  he  be  punished  ?  Yes,  he 
surely  must  be  punished.  Why,  what  necessity  is 
there  of  this,  punishment  ?  Answer  ;  if  he  be  not  pun- 
ished, he  will  repeat  the  crime  with  impunity,  and  re- 
straint will  be  taken  from  others,  and  crimes  will  be 
multiplied. 

This  is  admitted  as  a  rational  answer,  and  public 
sentiment  yields  to  the  execution  of  the  law. 

But  this  answer  cannot  b  i  given  in  relation   to  this 
19 


218  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

supposed  punishment  in  the  future  world  ;  for  punish- 
ment can  be  no  terror  to  evil  doers,  where  there  are 
none. 

In  case  of  criminality  in  this  world,  could  it  be  made 
to  appear,  that  the  relinquishment  of  penalty  would 
in  no  way  tend  to  multiply  crimes,  the  humanity  and 
good  sense  of  the  public  would  most  surely  discontin- 
ue to  punish. 

It  is  evident  that  punishment  regards  the  future,  and 
directs  its  endeavors  to  reclaim  from  wickedness  and  to 
prevent,  crimes. 

By  the  prophet  Isaiah,  God  says  to  sinful  Israel ; 
"  Why  should  ye  be  stricken  any  more  ?  Ye  will  re- 
volt more  and  more.*'  The  evident  sense  of  this  is, 
there  is  no  good  reason  for  punishing,  unless  evil  can 
be  prevented  by  it. 

But  what  evil  will  be  prevented  by  this  endless  pun- 
ishment in  the  future  world  ?  Its  advocates  do  not 
pretend  that  it  will  either  make  its  subjects  better,  or 
restrain  others  from  sin. 

But  it  is  said,  that  it  necessary  to  hold  up  the  ter- 
rors of  endless  punishment  to  deter  people  from  com- 
mitting sin  in  this  world.  If  this  be  all,  there  is  no 
necessity  of  the  doctrine's  being  a  truth,  if  it  be  believ- 
ed, though  in  fact  it  be  false,  it  has  all  the  effect  to  de- 
ter people  from  committing  sin  that  it  would  have 
were  it  true. 

But  we  are  ready  to  deny  even  this  utility  to  the 
doctrine  in  question.  For  the  advocate  of  the  doc- 
trine makes  provisions  which  completely  nullify  its 
power  to  produce  any  such  effect.  He  informs  the 
transgressor  that  if  he  repent  of  his  sins  any  time  in 
this  life  he  will  avoid  this  punishment  hereafter ;  and 
moreover  he  certifies  him  that  repentance  is  within  his 
own  power,  and  that  he  can  repent  any  time  if  he  will. 
Now  where  is  the  terror  ? 

We  will  suppose  that  our  legislature  makes  a  law 
that  if  a  man  steal  to  the  amount  of  a  certain  sum,  he 
shall,  on  conviction  thereof,  be  confined  to  hard  labor 
for  life  unless  lie  shall  in  one  week  after  committing 
the  crime  wash  his  hands  in  clean  water.     Would  there 


BALLOTS     LECTURES.  219 

ft 

be  any  terror  in  this  law  ?  Would  this  law  prevent 
wicked  men  from  stealing  ?  No,  it  would  not.  Nor 
does  telling  them  that  unless  they  repent  of  their  sins 
before  they  die  they  will  be  punished  for  them  in  the 
future  world  prevent  their  committing  sins. 

Having  suggested  these  improprieties  in  the  com- 
mon use  of  our  text,  we  may  now  proceed  to  inquire 
for  the  scripture  doctrine  concerning  it. 

As  this  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  is  called  the  se- 
cond death,  we  wish  to  have  it  kept  in  mind,  that 
wherever  we  read  of  the  lake  of  fire,  the  same  is  the 
second  death ;  and  wherever  we  read  of  the  second 
death,  the  same  is  the  lake  of  fire. 

The  first  passage  in  which  we  find  the  second  death 
mentioned,  in  these  words,  is  recorded  in  the  2d  of 
Revelation,  and  in  the  epistle  to  the  church  of  Smyr- 
na ;  "  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt  suf- 
fer ;  behold,  the  devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into  prison, 
that  ye  may  be  tried  :  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten 
days  :  be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee 
a  crown  of  life ;  He  that  hath  an  ear  let  him  hear  what 
the  spirit  saith  unto  the  churches  :  he  that  overcometh 
shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death." 

This  was  written  to  a  christian  church,  and  plainly 
indicated  that  those  who  should  not  overcome  the  tri- 
als with  which  they  were  about  to  be  tried,  but  who 
should  be  overcome  by  them,  should  be  hurt  of  the 
second  death. 

If  the  hearer  will  use  proper  caution  on  this  subject, 
what  is  meant  by  the  second  death  will  be  very  plain- 
ly seen.  This  church  of  Smyrna  had  been  collected 
from  among  the  Gentile  idolaters.  The  state  they 
were  in,  before  their  conversion  to  Christianity  is  called 
death  in  the  language  of  the  New  Testament.  In 
his  epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  St.  Paul  says ;  "  But 
God  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith 
he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath 
quickened  us  together  with  Christ."  The  blindness 
of  the  Jews  and  the  idolatry  of  the  Gentiles  are  repre- 
sented as  a  state  of  deatli  from  which  the  gospel  was 
designed   to   raise  and   quicken     the  nations.     Jesus 


' 


220  B    LLOU  S    LECTURES. 

said  ;  "  The  hour  is  coming  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that 
hear  shall  live."  St.  John  says  ;  "  We  know  that  we 
have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the 
brethren."  And  St.  Paul  again  says;  "For  the  law 
of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free 
from  the  law  of  sin  and  death." 

This  state  of  moral  death  in  which  the  gospel 
found  both  Jews  and  (Ten tiles,  is  the  first  death. 
From  this  death  the  gospel  quickened  and  raised  its 
converts  into  newness  of  life,  and  espoused  them  to 

Christ. 

To  the  Romans  St.  Paul  says ;  "  Likewise  reckon 
ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but 
alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Let 
not  sin,  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  bodies,  that  ye 
should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof.  Neither  yield  ye 
your  members  as  instruments  of  unrighteousness  unto 
sin ;  but  yield  yourselves  unto  God,  as  those  that  are 
alive  from  the  dead,  and  your  members  as  instruments 
of  righteousness  unto  God." 

Being  made  alive  unto  God  by  faith  in  Jesus,  and 
having  turned  their  backs  on  the  idols  they  had  for- 
merly worshipped,  these  Gentile  christians  were  expos- 
ed to  grievous  persecutions  ;  and  in  this  epistle,  which 
St.  John  wrote  on  the  isle  of  Patmos,  they  are  remind- 
ed of  certain  trials  which  they  were  about  to  encoun- 
ter, and  are  told  that  those,  who  should  overcome, 
should  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death.  That  is,  if 
they  remained  steadfast  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  they 
should  not  again  fall  into  a  state  of  death,  which 
would  be  to  them  a  second  death. 

In  the  epistle  to  the  church  of  Sardis  we  have  an 
account  of  this  death's  having  actually  taken  place. 
The  following  is  the  account  ;  "  I  know  thy  works, 
that  thou  hast  a  name  that  thou  livest  and  art  dead." 
This  death  had  come  upon  them  in  consequence  of 
their  having  defiled  their  garments.  The  writer  says 
to  the  minister  of  the  cliurch  ;  "  Thou  hast  a  few 
names  even  in  Sardis,  which  have  not  defiled  their 
garments ;  and  they  shall  walk  with  me  in  white  :  for 


BALLOU's    LECTURES.  221 

they  are  worthy."  This  was  a  plain  intimation  that 
the  most  of  them  in  Sardis  had  defiled  their  garments ; 
and  if  they  had  defiled  their  garments,  it  proves  that 
they  had  had  clean  garments,  for  that  which  is  not  clean 
cannot  be  defiled. 

Here  then  the  case  is  plain.  Those  people  had 
been  washed  in  the  water  of  regeneration  ;  their  gar- 
ments had  been  made  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ; 
they  had  been  made  alive  by  the  quickening  spirit  of 
Christ  ;  but  now  they  had  turned  from  the  holy  com- 
mandments which  had  been  delivered  unto  them ; 
they  had  defiled  their  garments ;  and  though  they  re- 
tained the  name  of  Christ,  yet  they  were  dead  ;  and 
this  death  must  be  the  second  death  ;  for  they  had 
been  dead  in  sin  before. 

The  writer  of  the  epistle  further  observes  ;  "  He 
that  overcometh,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  white 
raiment ;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the 
book  of  life,  but  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my 
Father,  and  before  his  angels."  Now  it  is  plain  that 
those  who  had  defiled  their  garments  had  not  over- 
come, and  as  they  were  dead,  tHIir  names  were  blotted 
out  of  the  book  of  life.  This  shows  that  their  names 
had  been  in  the  book  of  life,  for  if  they  had  not,  how 
could  they  have  been  blotted  out.  Names  that  are  in 
a  book  may  be  blotted  out  of  that  book,  but  it  is  not 
possible  to  blot  a  name  out  of  a  book  in  which  it  was 
never  written  ? 

We  can  now  see  the  reasonableness  of  saying,  that 
the  second  death  is  the  apostacy  which  has  taken  place 
under  the  gospel  dispensation. 

Of  this  falling  away  we  read  in  a  number  of  passa- 
ges. St.  Paul  speaks  of  it  to  the  Thessalonians  as  fol- 
lows ;  "  Let  no  man  deceive  you  by  any  means  ;  for 
that  day  shall  not  come  except  their  come  a  falling 
away  first,  and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed  ;  the  son 
of  perdition — whom  the  Lord  shall  consume  with  the 
spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  shall  destroy  with  the  bright- 
ness of  his  coming." 

St.  Peter  speaks  of  apostate  christians,  and  calls 
them  "  cursed  children  ;  which  have  forsaken  the  right 

19* 


222  BALLOU  S    LECTURES, 

way,  and  are  gone  astray."  And  farther  he  says  of 
them ;  "  If  after  they  have  escaped  the  polutiQns  of 
the  world,  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  they  are  again  entangled  therein, 
and  overcome ;  the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than 
the  beginning. 

For  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have  known 
the  way  of  righteousness,  than,  after  they  have  known 
it.  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandments  delivered  unto 
them." 

It  is  evident  that  those  of  whom  the  Apostle  spake, 
had  been  in  the  right  way,  otherwise  they  could  not 
have  forsaken  it.  They  had  known  the  way  of  right- 
eousness, but  had  turned  from  the  holy  command- 
ments which  they  had  received  ;  they  had  escaped  the 
pollutions  of  the  world,  through  the  knowledge  of  Je- 
sus, but  were  again  entangled  therein  and  overcome. 
These  were  dead  the  second  time.  Jude  speaks  of 
them  as  follows ;  "  These  are  spots  in  your  feasts  of 
charity,  when  they  feast  with  you,  feeding,  themselves 
without  fear  :  clouds  are  they  without  water,  carried 
about  of  winds ;  trees  %vhose  fruit  withereth,  without 
fruit,  twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the  roots." 

Let  it  be  observed  in  this  place,  that  the  errors  by 
which  Christianity  was  early  corrupted,  and  the  false 
doctrines  which  were  introduced  into  the  church,  to- 
gether with  all  the  vile  and  abominable  idolatries  and 
senseless  superstitions  which  have  characterised  Chris- 
tianity for  ages  form  what  we  mean  by  the  second 
death,  and  constitute  what  the  scriptures  mean  by  a 
lake  of  fire  and  brimstone. 

We  have  an  account  of  this  fire  and  brimstone  in 
the  14th  of  Revelation  as  follows;  "And  the  third 
angel  followed  them,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  if  any 
man  worship  the  beast  and  his  imnge,  and  receive 
his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured 
out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  indignation; 
and  he  shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in 
the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of 
the  Lamb ;  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  223 

up  forever  and  ever  ;  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor 
night  who  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  who- 
soever receiveth  the  mark  of  his  name." 

The  hearer  is  requested  to  keep  in  mind  that  this 
fire  and  brimstone,  and  the  second  death  are  the  same. 
And  as  we  have  already  seen  that  the  primitive  chris- 
tians did,  many  of  them,  apostatize  from  the  truth,  de- 
file their  garments,  were  overcome  by  the  corruptions 
of  the  world  and  were  hurt  of  the  second  death  ;  and 
as  all  this  appears  to  have  taken  place  here  in  this 
mortal  state,  and  to  have  not  the  least  allusion  to  a 
state  of  punishment  in  the  future  world,  we  will  now 
examine  what  we  have  just  quoted  concerning  this  tor- 
ment with  fire  and  brimstone,  and  see  if  it  be  in  this 
world  or  in  the  eternal  state. 

The  first  thing  the  hearer  is  requested  to  get  pos- 
session of  is,  that  this  torment  is  experienced  by  the 
worshippers  of  the  beast  at  and  during  the  time  of  their 
woshipping  him.  This  is  of  importance  to  understand  ; 
for  the  common  use  of  this  scripture  supposes  that  the 
divine  Being  will  torment  men  in  the  future  state,  out 
of  revenge  because  they  worshipped  the  beast  here  in 
time;  as  if  they  were  the  gainers  here  by  worshipping 
the  beast,  and  he  the  loser ;  but  finally  the  Almighty 
finds  means,  in  the  eternal  world,  to  inflict  such  ven- 
geance on  those  deluded  creatures,  as  will  perfectly  sat- 
isfy him  for  the  loss  he  sustained  by  their  worshipping 
the  beast. 

We  do  not  mean  to  say  that  those  who  hold  the 
common  opinion  of  the  text,  pretend  to  say,  that  the 
divine  Being  is  a  loser  by  men's  worshipping  the  beast, 
or  that  they  are  gainers  by  such  worship ;  what  we 
contend  for  is,  that  the  divine  Being  will  certainly  act 
on  some  principle,  and  as  it  is  not  allowed  that  this 
punishment  is  designed  to  reclaim  or  to  deter,  it 
must  be  to  revenge,  which  supposes  an  injury  receiv- 
ed. 

Let  us  ask  the  candid  questions,  and  let  them  be 
candidly  answered,  if  God  lias  received  no  injury  from 
his  creatures,  why  should  he  be  unfriendly  towards, 
them  ?     And  if  there  be  no  real  gains  to  the  creature 


224  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

who  worships  the  beast,  no  profit  arising  from  all  his 
services,  why  is  not  this  foolish,  idolatrous,  and  super- 
stitious worship  bad  enough  to  punish  its  deluded  vo- 
taries. 

Let  us  try  the  force  of  the  following  metaphor, 
which  we  shall  find  to  be  apposite  to  the  present  sub- 
ject. You  who  are  the  parent  of  a  number  of  chil- 
dren have  an  enemy,  who,  taking  the  advantage  of 
the  dusk  of  the  evening,  and  by  putting  on  some  of 
your  clothes  and  by  imitating  your  voice  deceives  your 
children,  so  that  while  they  think  they  are  following 
your  directions  through  the  most  dreary,  unpleasant 
ways,  they  are  zealously  executing  your  enemy's  most 
cruel  injunctions.  The  poor  deluded  children  some- 
times complain  of  their  hard  service,  and  of  being 
destitute  of  refreshment  or  rest,  but  are  told  to  hold  on 
with  good  courage,  that  though  their  lot  be  hard  at 
present,  they  may  rest  assured  that  as  it  is  their  kind 
father  who  is  leading  them,  he  will  reward  them  ten- 
fold for  all  they  suffer.  This  deception  goes  on  until 
morning.  No  sooner  than  day-light  appears,  one  of 
your  children  happens  to  get  a  glance  of  the  haggard 
visage  of  your  inveterate  foe  !  He  starts  back  and 
refuses  to  go  any  further,  and  calls  on  his  brethren 
and  sisters  to  stop,  and  tells  them  they  are  all  deceiv- 
ed, and  are  devoted  to  the  service  of  their  father's 
enemy.  They  no  sooner  find  their  error,  than  their 
deluder  leaves  them,  and  you  find  your  wandering  off- 
spring wounded,  and  half  dead.  When  they  see  you 
they  rejoice  and  fly  to  your  embrace,  deeply  regret  the 
delusion  that  has  led  them  from  you,  and  humbly  im- 
plore your  favor.  The  question  now  before  you  is 
this,  will  you  now  punish  your  emaciated  offspring  be- 
cause they  have  been  deluded  into  misery  and  want  * 
Your  answer  is  anticipated.  You  reply,  No,  surely 
my  children  have  suffered  enough,  I  will  now  let  them 
see  that  their  father's  yoke  is  easy,  and  that  his  burden 
is  light. 

That  this  metaphor  is  justified  by  the  subject,  may 
be  seen  by  the  following  in  St.  Paul's  epistle  to  the 
Thessulonians.     Speaking  of  the  man  of  sin,  he  says; 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  225 

'  Who  opposeth  and  exalteth  himself  above  all  that 
is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped  ;  so  that  he,  as 
God«,  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself 
that  he  is  God."  If  the  beast  spoken  of  in  Revolutions 
had  not  deceived  the  people  he  surely  never  would 
have  been  worshipped.  And  if  we  examine  the  pas- 
sage which  speaks  of  the  torment  endured  by  the  wor- 
shippers of  the  beast,  we  shall  see  that,  the  worship- 
pers are  thus  tormented,  while  they  worship.  No- 
tice these  words  ;  u  And  they  have  no  rest  day  nor 
night,  who  worship  the  beast."  Have  and  ivorshi]), 
are  in  the  same  tense.  And  we  have  no  more  au- 
thority for  supposing  that  the  worshippers  of  the  boast 
are  to  be  tormented  any  longer  than  they  worship  him, 
than  for  supposing  that  they  were  thus  tormented  be- 
fore they  worshipped  him. 

The  hearer  will  also  carefully  notice  these  words  ; 
c  They  have  no  rest  day  nor  night."  Here  we  find 
the  present  tense  and  the  present  state  distinctly  set 
forth.  "  They  have  no  rest;"  that  is,  they  are  now 
destitute  of  rest,  "  Day  nor  night"  That  is,  here, 
where  time  is  divided  by  day  and  night. 

Having  ascertained  that  this  torment  is  during  day 
and  night,  and  while  the  tormented  are  worshipping 
the  beast,  it  will  contribute  much  to  the  settling  of  the 
subject,  to  know  how  long  this  beast  is  to  be  worship- 
ped. In  the  13th  chapter  of  the  Revelations,  we  have 
the  account  wanted,  it  reads  thus  ;  "  And  there  was 
given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking  great  things,  and 
blasphemies;  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  con- 
tinue forty  and  two  months."  In  the  11th  chapter, 
we  are  informed  that  the  Gentiles  should  tread  the 
holy  city  under  foot  forty  and  two  months.  This  is 
the  same  forty  and  two  months,  which  the  beast  had 
power  to  continue. 

Now  if  we  multiply  forty-two  by  thirty,  the  number 
of  days  which  the  Jews  allowed  to  a  month,  the 
amount  is  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  days.  This  is  ex- 
actly the  same  time  which  the  two  witnesses  were  to 
prophecy  in  sackcloth,  as  we  read  in  chapter  11th, 
"  And  I  will  give  power  to  my  two  witnesses,  and  they 


226  BALLOTj's     LECTURES. 

shall  prophecy  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three- 
score days,  clothed  in  sackcloth."  One  thousand  two 
hundred  and  three  score,  is  twelve  hundred  and  sixty. 
This  is  the  same  period  with  the  three  days  and  an  half 
which  the  dead  bodies  of  the  two  witnesses  were  to  lie 
in  the  street  of  the  great  city,  which  is  spiritually  call- 
ed Sodom  and  Egypt.  If  we  call  a  day  a  year,  three 
years  and  an  half  contain  forty  and  two  months. 
And  tills  is  the  same  as  the  time,  times,  and  half  a  time 
which  the  woman,  of  whom  we  read  in  the  12th  chap- 
ter, was  to  be  in  the  wilderness.  Calling  these  times 
prophetic  years,  we  find  the  forty  and  two  months, 
which  afford  the  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  days,  which 
we  may  suppose  are  so  many  years. 

Twelve  hundred  and  sixty  natural  years  is  as  long 
a  time  as  can  be  allowed  for  the  continuance  of  the 
beast,  of  his  worship,  or  the  torment  of  his  worship- 
pers with  fire  and  brimstone,  which  is  the  second 
death. 

It  is  evident,  beyond  all  dispute,  that  there  is  no 
more  propriety  in  carrying  the  second  death,  or  lake 
of  fire  and  brimstone  into  the  eternal  world,  than  there 
is  in  supposing  that  the  forty  and  two  months  the  beast 
had  power  to  continue,  are  to  be  reckoned  in  the  eter- 
nal world  ;  or  in  supposing  that  the  holy  city  will  be 
trodden  under  foot  of  the  Gentiles  in  the  eternal 
world  ;  or  in  supposing  that  the  two  witnesses  will 
prophecy  clothed  in  sackcloth  in  the  eternal  world  ; 
or  that  their  dead  bodies  will  lie  in  the  street  of  the  great 
city  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  three  days  and  an  half, 
in  the  eternal  world  ;  or  that  the  woman  will  be  in 
the  wilderness  a  time,  times  and  half  a  time  in  the 
eternal  world. 

This  representation  of  the  religion  and  doctrines  of 
the  church  of  antichrist,  by  fire  and  brimstone  agrees 
with  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  recorded  in  his  34th  chap- 
ter. '•  And  the  streams  thereof  shall  be  turned  into 
pitch,  and  the  dust  thereof  into  brimstone,  and  the 
land  thereof  shall  become  burning  pitch.  It  shall  not 
be  quenched  night  nor  day.  the  smoke  thereof  shall  go 
up  forever  ;  from  generation  to  generation  it  shall  lie 
waste ;  none  shall  pass  through  it  forever  and  ever." 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  227 

It  would  seem  that  a  land  of  this  description  could 
not  be  inhabited  by  any  creature  whatever ;  but  the 
prophet  says  ;  "  But  the  Cormorant  and  the  Bittern 
shall  possess  it;  the  Owl  also  and  the  Raven  shall 
dwell  in  it."  He  further  supposes  that  wild  beasts 
will  dwell  in  this  land  of  brimstone  and  fire,  and  says  ; 
"  There  shall  the  great  Owl  make  her  nest,  and  lay 
and  hatch,  and  gather  under  her  shadow."  This  lan- 
guage is  so  similar  to  the  account  we  have  of  this  fire 
and  brimstone  in  Revelations,  that  we  may  suppose  they 
both  relate  to  the  same  subject. 

The  unclean  beasts  and  birds,  mentioned  by  Isaiah, 
are  the  same  as  mentioned  in  Revelations  18th. 
"  Babylon  the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  and  is  become 
the  habitation  of  devils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul 
spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird." 

It  seems  to  have  been  the  design  of  prophecy,  to 
represent  the  church  and  her  doctrines  by  a  land  whose 
very  dust  is  brimstone,  and  whose  streams  are  burning 
pitch,  and  her  clergy  and  rulers  by  unclean  birds  and 
ravenous  beasts.  And  it  is  certain  that  the  church 
of  antichrist,  with  its  rulers,  its  clergy,  its  doctrines, 
and  superstitions,  has  answered  the  description  in 
full. 

We  will  now  endeavor  to  show  that  the  characters 
mentioned  in  our  text  are  those  who  answer  to  the 
worshippers  of  the  beast,  that  they  are  the  unclean 
beasts  and  birds  of  Babylon,  and  that  their  doctrine  in 
room  of  being  a  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life,  is  fire 
and  brimstone  by  which  they  are  tormented. 

The  first  character  mentioned  in  our  text  is  the  fear- 
ful. Fear  is  the  very  foundation  of  antichristian  reli- 
gion. It  views  God  in  the  character  of  a  most  vora- 
cious beast.  It  worships  him  with  a  view  to  pacify 
his  wrath.  It  represents  him  as  full  of  vengeance  to- 
wards all  who  do  not  render  him  faithful  service,  and 
supposes  that  he  will  punish  them  unmercifully,  if 
they  do  not  yield  to  his  requirements.  This  religion 
says,  take  away  the  fear  of  eternal  damnation,  and  I 
would  never  worship  God  again,  I  would  pay  no  regard 
to  his  ordinances. 


228  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

This  religion  is  in  fact  a  stream  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone, firc^  because  it  is  full  of  zeal,  and  brimstone,  be- 
cause it  destroys  the  reason  of  its  votaries.  There  is 
nothing  which  more  suddenly  destroys  the  regular  ac- 
tion of  the  brain,  than  sulphur.  Fear  is  of  this  nature, 
it  sets  reason  at  defiance.  So  has  the  religion  of  the 
church.  It  says,  reason  has  nothing  to  do  with  reli- 
gion. What  St.  John  says  of  fear  and  love  seem  very 
appropriate  in  this  place.  He  says  "  Fear  hath  tor- 
ment," and  again;  "Perfect  love  casteth  out.  fear." 

The  unbelieving  is  the  second  character  mentioned. 
But  who  are  unbelievers  ?  They  are  those  whose 
creeds  contradict  the  faith  of  Abraham.  God  promis- 
ed Abraham,  that  in  him,  and  in  his  seed,  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  should  be  blessed.  And  it  is  said, 
that  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  to  him 
for  righteousness.  Abraham  was  therefore  called  the 
friend  of  God,  and  the  father  of  the  faithful.  Now 
those  who  believe  in  that  Babylonish  creed  which  ex- 
cludes a  great,  part  of  mankind  from  the  blessings  of 
Jesus  and  his  grace,  are  the  unbelieving  mentioned  in 
our  text.  These  unbelievers  suppose  that  they  are 
the  only  true  believers  on  earth,  and  their  belief  is  like 
fire  and  brimstone,  and  the  more  firmly  they  believe, 
the  more  intensely  they  are  burnt.  They  have  their 
part  in  the  lake  that  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone, 
which  is  the  second  death. 

How  much  is  a  man's  part  in  this  torment  ?  Just 
so  much  as  will  correspond  with  the  perverseness  of 
his  abominable  belief.  In  the  same  ratio  as  they  be- 
lieve, they  are  tormented,  and  as  far  as  they  doubt  they 
find  relief. 

The  abominable  is  the  third  character  mentioned. 
There  are  many  sinful  practices,which  are  called  abom- 
inable in  scripture  ;  one  may  be  mentioned,  of  which 
Israel  was  guilty,  and  by  which  the  christian  church 
has  become  contaminated.  In  his  16th  chapter,  Eze- 
kiel  charges  Jerusalem  of  having  committed  more 
abominations  than  were  committed  by  Sodom  and 
her  daughters;  and  among  those  the  following  is  stat- 
ed; "  Moreover  thou  hast  taken  thy  sons  and  thy  daugh- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  229 

ters,  whom  thou  hast  born  unto  me,  and  these  hast 
thou  sacrificed  unto  them  (idols)  to  be  devoured." 
This  has  been  done  in  the  antichristian  church,  by  that 
doctrine  which  consigns  little  children  to  everlasting 
torment  for  the  glory  of  that  idol  god,  who  delights  in 
such  cruelty.  Every  soul  that  believes  this  doctrine  is 
tormented  day  and  night.  If  they  have  children  how 
nre  their  souls  tormented  with  the  fearful  apprehension 
of  their  everlasting  destruction  ? 

Murderers  are  the  fourth  class.  "  He  that  loveth 
not  his  brother  is  a  murderer."  And  that  antichristian 
doctrine  which  teaches  that  God  hates  his  creatures 
has  caused  men  to  hate  one  another,  and  to  put  thou- 
sands to  death.  This  murderous,  persecuting  spirit 
is  a  perpetual  fire,  and  torments  every  soul  that  pos- 
sesses it. 

Whoremongers  are  the  5th  class.  These  are  those 
who  get  their  living  by  means  of  spiritual  adultery,  un- 
der the  direction  of  the  mother  of  harlots.  These  are 
unclean  birds.  Isaiah  calls  them  Owls,  Satires,  Ra- 
vens, &c.  lie  says ;  "  There  shall  the  great  Owl 
make  her  nest,  and  lay  and  hatch,  and  gather  under 
her  shadow."  This  is  an  unclean  bird  that  is  afraid 
of  the  light. 

Sorcerers  are  the  sixth  character.  These  are  fa- 
mous for  their  wisdom,  and  very  deep  understanding 
in  dark  mysterious  matters.  They  know  every  thing 
about  another  world  ;  and  in  their  own  conceit,  or 
pretensions  can  inform  people  concerning  what  they 
call  heaven  and  hell.  These  are  a  torment  to  them- 
selves. 

Idolaters  form  the  seventh  class.  These  are  all  who 
worship  the  false  god,  who  sits  in  the  temple  of  God, 
showing  himself  to  be  God. 

Liars  are  mentioned  last.  The  author  of  our  text, 
has  given  a  description  of  a  liar.  He  says  ;  "  Who  is 
a  liar,  but  he  who  denieth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ ;  he 
is  antichrist  that  denieth  the  Father  and  the  Son." 

These  worshippers  of  the  beast  are  the  dead,  small 
and  great,  which  John  saw  stand  before  God  ;  who 
were  judged  out  of  those  things  which  were  written  in 
20 


230  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

the  books,  which  are  the  doctrines  of  men,  according 
to  their  works.  They  had  received  the  mark  and  name 
of  the  beast,  therefore  their  names  were  not  in  the 
Lamb's  book,  or  doctrine  of  life.  These  were  cast  in- 
to the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  which  is  the  second 
death. 

The  hearer  is  requested  to  observe  that  the  argu- 
ments to  which  we  have  attended,  go  to  prove  that  the 
false  doctrines  of  antichrist  constitute  the  second  death, 
and  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  and  that  these  doc- 
trines perpetually  torment  them  who  believe  them. 
Our  reasoning  disallows  the  continuance  of  this  tor- 
ment after  those  doctrines  of  antichrist  shall  be  discon- 
tinued. The  worshippers  of  the  beast  will  be  torment- 
ed as  long  as  they  worship  him  ;  but  he  had  power 
given  him  to  continue  only  forty  and  two  months. 
The  hearer  is  likewise  requested  to  observe,  what  has 
already  been  noticed,  that  in  order  to  extend  the  se- 
cond death  or  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  into  'anoth- 
er state  of  existence,  we  must  also  carry  the  time  of 
the  church  in  the  wilderness,  the  time  of  the  prophe- 
cying  of  the  two  witnesses,  in  sackcloth,  and  the  forty 
and  two  months  of  the  reign  of  the  beast  into  a  future 
state.     All  which  is  palpably  absurd. 

My  brethren,  this  discourse  will  close  with  the  fol- 
lowing divine  injunction;  "Come  out  of  her  my  peo- 
ple, that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye 
receive  not  of  her  plagues." 


LECTURE  XVII. 

SALVATION,   A    DEIIVERANCE    FROM    ERROR    AND    SIN, 
THROUGH    THE    MERCY    OF    GOD. 

2  TIMOTHY  i.  9,  10. 

Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our 
works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in 
Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began: — But  it  is  now  made  manifest  by  the 
appearing  of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  abolished  death,  and  hath 
brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gospel. 

Our  first  inquiry  will  be  directed  to  ascertain  what 
the  Apostle  means  by  the  word  saved.  With  a  view 
to  bring  this  subject  to  the  understanding  of  the  hear- 
er, in  as  plain  and  as  profitable  a  manner  as  possible, 
we  shall  attempt  in  the  first  place  to  examine  the  com- 
mon doctrine  of  the  church  respecting  salvation,  and 
in  the  second  place  bring  the  scripture  testimony  on 
the  subject  into  view,  that  the  difference  between  the 
common  doctrine  and  the  divine  testimony  may  dis- 
tinctly appear. 

What  we  propose  to  examine  in  the  first  place  is 
found  in  the  following  statement,  which  is  here  quoted 
from  the  shorter  chatechism ;  "  All  mankind  by  the 
fall  lost  communion  with  God,  are  under  his  wrath  and 
curse,  and  so  made  liable  to  all  the  miseries  of  this  life, 
to  death  itself,  and  to  the  pains  of  hell  forever."  This 
is  the  miserable  state  into  which  man  fell,  according  to 
the  sentiment  under  examination ;  and  from  which 
God  provided  means  to  save  some,  accordingly  as  is 
expressed  thus ;  "  God  having  out  of  his  mere  good 
pleasure  from  all  eternity,  elected  some  to  everlasting 
life,  did  enter  into  a  covenant  of  grace  to  deliver  them 
out  of  the  state  of  sin  and  misery,  and  to  bring  them 
into  a  state  of  salvation  by  a  Redeemer." 

It  is  evident  that  the  learned  divines,  who  compos- 


232  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

ed  this  creed,  designed  to  apply  the  doctrine  of  salva- 
tion in  a  way  to  save  the  elect  from  the  everlasting 
pains  of  hell,  more  specially  than  to  save  them  from 
the  miseries  of  this  life  and  from  death  ;  for  it  is  a 
fact  well  known  to  all,  that  whoever  these  elected  ones 
may  be,  they  are  subject  to  death  as  well  as  others, 
and  it  is  generally  thought  that  they  have  a  larger 
share  of  the  miseries  of  this  life. 

This  common  doctrine  of  salvation  may  therefore 
be  stated  thus  ;  All  mankind,  the  elect  and  non-elect 
by  the  fall  are  under  God's  wrath  and  curse,  which 
curse  is  the  pains  of  hell  after  the  death  of  the  body 
and  forever ;  but  in  conformity  to  a  decree  of  God, 
made  from  all  eternity,  there  is  a  Redeemer  provided 
to  save  the  elect  from  this  everlasting  curse. 

Having  now  before  us  the  doctrine  of  salvation  as  it 
has  been  held  in  the  christian  church  for  a  long  time, 
and  as  it  is  now  held  and  taught  to  old  and  young, 
let  us  attempt  to  examine  its  propriety.  And  let  this 
be  done  with  all  that  candor  which  is  due  to  all  sub- 
jects of  moment,  and  especially  to  this  which  evidently 
involves  the  character  of  the  divine  Being.  Let  it  be 
done  too  with  that  charity  towards  the  framers  of  this 
creed  and  towards  those  who  now  believe  in  it,  which 
holds  the  higest  rank  among  the  christian  virtues ;  for 
certain  it  is  that  this  candor  and  charity  are  necessary 
to  be  kept  in  constant  exercise,  among  such  short- 
sighted, benighted  creatures. 

On  approaching  the  proposition  before  us,  the  follow- 
ing absurdities  present  themselves. 

1st.  It  is  absurd  to  say,  that  those  whom  God  elect- 
ed from  all  eternity  to  be  saved  by  a  Redeemer,  are  li- 
able to  the  pains  of  hell  forever. 

2d.  It  appears  absurd  to  say,  that  those  whom  God 
entered  into  a  covenant  to  save,  are  under  his  wrath 
and  curse,  by  which  everlasting  misery  hereafter  is  in- 
tended. 

3d.  This  scheme  of  salvation  accuses  the  divine  Be- 
ing of  partiality  in  the  most  direct  manner.  It  states 
that  all  mankind  are  in  one  condition,  all  under  God's 
wrath  and  curse,  and  all  liable  to  the  pains  of  hell  for- 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  233 

ever;  but  that  though  all  are  in  one  condition,  the 
scheme  of  salvation  embraces  only  a  part  without  ex- 
tending the  least  benefit  to  the  rest. 

4th.  The  doctrine  under  examination  supposes  that 
the  divine  Being  has  condemned  millions  of  unborn 
infants  to  the  pains  of  hell  forever,  for  an  act  which 
Adam  and  Eve  committed  in  the  garden  of  Eden, 
which  certainly  appears  to  be  unjust  in  the  extreme. 

Let  candor  look,  for  one  moment,  at  these  absurdi- 
ties and  improprieties,  and  at  the  same  time  let  chari- 
ty kindly  impute  them  to  the  imperfection  of  our  com- 
mon nature. 

A  body  of  learned  divines  have  said  after  much  deep 
study  and  profound  deliberation,  that  God  from  all 
eternity  elected  some  of  the  human  race  unto  salvation 
by  a  Redeemer,  and  at  the  same  time  say,  that  these 
elected  ones  are  under  his  curse  which  is  the  pains 
of  hell  forever  in  the  future  world.  These  learned 
doctors,  who  knew  that  the  scriptures  assert  the  im- 
partiality of  God,  and  who  professed  to  believe  that 
he  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  have  limited  his  eternal 
mercy  to  but  a  part  of  mankind,  and  have  excluded 
the  rest  from  his  favor  forever.  Notwithstanding  they 
well  knew,  that  it  is  repugnant  to  the  law  of  God  to 
condemn  the  innocent,  and  that  the  divine  Being  hath 
said,  "  the  son  shall  not  suffer  for  the  iniquity  of  the 
father,"  yet  for  one  act  of  Adam  they  have  condemn- 
ed all  mankind  to  a  state  of  endless  misery. 

According  to  these  tenets  thousands  of  millions  of 
unhappy  wretches  have  already  been  sent  to  this  hell, 
of  which  these  divines  speak,  without  ever  knowing 
until  they  got  there,  that  there  ever  was  an  Adam,  or 
that  he  had  sinned  and  involved  them  in  this  awful  ca- 
lamity to  all  eternity.  How  many  millions  of  infants, 
of  people  who  were  educated  in  christian  countries, 
have  gone  from  this  world  before  they  were  old  enough 
to  understand  the  horrible  story  framed  by  these  di- 
vines ;  but  much  more  numerous  still  is  the  number 
of  those  who  were  born  in  heathen  lands  and  never 
heard  of  any  part  of  the  christian  scriptures,  much  less, 
if  possible  of  this  antiscriptural  creed. 

20* 


234  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

Such  is  the  general  corruption  of  the  christian  doc- 
trine, introduced  by  the  creed  under  consideration, 
that  all  which  people  think  of  being  saved  from  is  the 
pains  of  hell  hereafter. 

On  this  notion  sermons  in  general  have  been  framed, 
and  carefully  directed  to  instruct  people  in  the  way 
by  which  they  may  be  saved  from  this  hell  in  the  fu- 
ture state. 

This  future  misery  is  the  gloomy  subject,  which  is 
presented  to  people's  minds,  in  all  the  vivid  forms 
which  imagination  and  the  most  powerful  eloquence 
have  been  able  to  set  forth,  in  order  to  terrify  the  mind 
and  to  call  into  action  the  most  fearful  apprehensions 
of  which  the  human  mind  is  susceptible.  All  this  is 
considered  necessary  in  order  to  lead  sinners  to  repent- 
ance, by  which  they  may  avoid  this  state  of  torment. 

This  scheme  of  doctrine  leads  the  mind  to  under- 
stand the  scriptures,  which  speak  of  saving  sinners, 
to  mean  the  saving  them  from  hell  in  the  eternal 
world,  or  from  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God  hereafter. 

The  hearer  is  requested  to  take  this  common  opin- 
ion into  careful  consideration  and  compare  it  with  the 
scripture  testimony.  First  examine  to  see  if  you  can 
find  this  wrath  and  curse  of  God  resting  on  all  man- 
kind,  of  which  such  careful  mention  is  made  in  the 
creed  to  which  we  have  alluded. 

After  a  careful  and  patient  examination  of  the  divine 
testimony,  your  humble  servant  has  unspeakable  joy  in 
being  able  to  say  that  this  wrath  and  curse  of  God  is 
no  where  recorded  in  the  scriptures. 

When  those  doctors  who  framed  the  creed  under- 
took to  describe  the  consequences  of  the  first  trans 
gression,  did  they  at  all  confine  themselves  to  the 
divine  word  ?  No  surely  they  did  not ;  for  if  they 
had  done  this,  they  would  not  have  found  that  God 
pronounced  any  curse  even  on  Adam  and  Eve  them- 
selves, much  less  on  all  mankind  for  what  these  two 
did. 

If  this  unaccountable  notion  of  the  wrath  and  curse 
of  God  were  a  truth  would  it  not  have  been  announc- 
ed by  the  Creator  on  his  first  visit  to  his  sinful  chil- 


rJ 


BALLOU   S    LECTURES.  23.3 

dren  ?  But  did  the  merciful  Father  of  our  spirits  in- 
timate to  Adam  and  Eve,  that  they  had  brought  his 
wrath  and  curse,  which  are  eternal  misery,  not  only  on 
themselves,  but  on  all  their  numerous,  unborn  off- 
spring ? 

No,  blessed  be  his  name,  he  mentioned  but  two 
curses,  and  one  of  them  was  on  the  serpent,  and  the 
other  was  on  the  ground.  And  in  room  of  saying  one 
word  concerning  cursing  all  mankind  with  the  pains 
of  hell  in  a  future  state,  the  divine  Being  did  not  in- 
timate  that  even  the  serpent  himself  would  be  subject 
to  any  infelicity  beyond  his  natural  life.  "  Dust  shalt 
thou  eat  all  the  days  of  thy  life; ':  and  beyond  this 
there  was  no  intimation.  It  was  said  to  the  serpent ; 
;'I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the  woman,  and 
between  thy  seed  and  her  seed ;  it  shall  bruise  thy  head 
and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel."  Here  in  room  of 
God's  wrath  and  curse  on  our  first  parents,  is  a  bless- 
ed and  glorious  promise  of  a  final  victory  over,  and 
deliverance  from  the  power  of  the  tempter. 

Let  us  next  inquire  for  the  scripture  testimony  con- 
cerning salvation,  and  endeavor  to  understand  what 
we  are  saved  from,  and  by  what  means  we  are  saved. 

On  this  particular,  less  will  be  necessary  than  would 
be  required  if  the  same  had  not  been  noticed  in  some 
of  our  former  lectures  ;  yet  such  is  the  importance  of 
the  doctrine  under  consideration,  as  to  justify  its  fre- 
quent investigation. 

It.  was  said  by  the  Angel  of  God,  to  Joseph,  con- 
cerning the  child  Jesus,  "  Thou  shalt  call  his  name  Je- 
sus for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."  Ac- 
cording to  this,  that  from  which  Jesus  saves  us,  is  our 
sins.  But  according  to  the  common  doctrine,  it.  seems 
that  the  angel  would  have  said  ;  thou  shalt  call  his 
name  Jesus  for  he  shall  save  the  elect  from  the  wratli 
and  curse  of  God  in  the  future  world. 

In  justifying  himself  before  the  scribes  and  Pharisees, 
who  accused  him  of  receiving  sinners  and  eating  with 
them,  our  Saviour  represented  sinners  by  a  sheep  gone 
astray,  and  the  repentance  and  salvation  of  sinners 
he  reprrsented  by  the  return  of  the  lost  sheep  to  the 


236  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

fold,  by  the  diligent  concern  and  care  of  the  shepherd. 
Let  us  here  ask,  what  the  sheep  that  went  astray  was 
saved  from  ?  Was  it  saved  from  the  wrath  and  curse 
of  its  owner?  Had  the  shepherd  any  decree  out 
against  the  comfort  and  life  of  this  strayed  member 
of  his  flock  ?  Would  it  not  seem  absurd  in  the  ex- 
treme to  pretend  that  the  shepherd  went  after  the 
sheep  with  a  view  to  save  it  from  his  own  vengeance  ? 
The  fact  is,  the  sheep  was  saved  from  its  wanderings 
and  from  all  the  inconveniences  of  the  condition  into 
which  it  had  wandered. 

The  parable  of  the  prodigal  son  is  another  beautiful 
representation  of  the  salvation  of  sinners,  and  is  found 
in  connexion  with  the  parable  of  the  lost  sheep,  and 
used  by  the  Saviour  for  the  same  purpose. 

But  what  was  the  Prodigal  finally  saved  from  by  be- 
ing brought  to  repentance,  and  to  his  father's  house  ? 
Was  he  saved  from  any  wrath  and  curse  of  his  father  ? 
Had  the  father  any  unmerciful  decree  out  against  his 
son's  life  or  happiness  !  When  the  returning  son  was 
yet  a  great  way  off,  and  the  father's  compassion  urged 
him  to  run  and  meet  his  child,  was  this  parental  effort, 
and  all  the  mighty  tide  of  compassion  manifested  on 
that  occasion  exerted  to  save  this  son  from  his  father's 
wrath  and  curse  ? 

The  hearer  cannot  but  see  that  nothing  could  be 
more  unreasonable  than  this  notion.  And  yet  is  it 
not  as  plain  as  the  sun  at  noon,  that  the  common 
doctrine  of  salvation  is  predicated  exactly  on  this 
absurdity  ?  Does  it  not  explain  scripture  in  a  wTay  to 
represent  the  divine  Creator  as  exerting  the  means  of 
his  grace  to  save  sinners  from  his  own  wrath  and  curse  ? 
Does  it  not  hold  up  the  idea  that  God  sent  his  son  to 
suffer  and  die  for  sinners,  in  order  to  save  them  from 
this  curse  of  the  Father,  which  curse  is  said  to  be  the 
pains  of  hell  forever?  Does  it  not  constantly  hold 
forth  the  notion,  that  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  is  now 
exerting  all  its  energies  and  means  to  snatch  sinners 
away  from  the  divine  wrath,  as  brands  are  plucked 
from  a  fire  ? 

The  divine  instructor  on  another  similar  occasion 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  237 

to  the  one  we  have  just  noticed,  made  use  of  the  fol- 
lowing simile  ;  "The  whole  need  not  the  physician, 
but  they  that  are  sick.  For  the  Son  of  man  is  not 
come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance." 

As  the  Saviour  represented  the  case  of  the  sinner  by 
one  who  is  sick,  and  the  salvation  of  the  sinner  by  the 
recovery  of  the  sick  to  health  by  means  of  a  physi- 
cian, we  may  ask,  if  it  could  be  reconciled  with  rea- 
son and  common  sense,  to  pretend  that  the  physician 
exerts  his  skill  and  the  power  of  his  medicine  to  save 
his  patient  from  his  wrath  and  indignation  ? 

The  fact  is,  my  christian  friends,  Jesus  who  dwells 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  never  represented  his  doc- 
trine of  salvation  to  be  in  any  sense  like  the  doctrine 
of  the  church  which  we  have  examined.  Our  heaven- 
ly Father,  as  manifested  in  his  Son,  and  as  held  up  by 
the  preaching  of  Jesus,  loves  his  enemies,  loves  sin- 
ners, and  because  he  loves  them  he  sent  his  Son  to  be 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  He  sent  him  to  save  us 
from  our  sins,  and  to  reconcile  us  to  God. 

St.  Paul  to  the  Colossians  says  of  God  ;  "  Who 
hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and 
hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son." 

This  passage  very  plainly  shows  us  the  nature  of 
that  salvation  of  which  our  text  speaks.  It  is  a  salva- 
tion from  error,  deception,  ignorance  and  all  their  evils, 
to  truth,  knowledge,  understanding  and  all  their  bless- 
ings. 

To  the  Ephesians  he  says,  that  u  Christ  loved  the 
church  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that  he  might  sanctify, 
and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word ; 
that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church, 
not  having  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing  :  but 
that  it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish." 

Let  us  carefully  examine  this  representation,  for 
here  the  apostle  informs  us  the  object  which  Christ  had 
in  view  when  he  gave  himself  for  the  church.  And 
what  was  it?  Was  it  to  appease  his  Father's  wrath  ? 
Was  it  to  reconcile  the  Father  to  the  church?  Was 
it  to  save  the  church  from  God's  wrath  and  curse  in 
the  eternal  world  ? 


s 


238  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

No,  my  brethren,  Jesus  gave  himself  for  the  church 
that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it.  The  church 
was  in  an  unsanctified,  unclean  state,  and  the  gos- 
pel or  doctrine  of  Christ  is  that  water  or  word  by 
which  he  cleanses  and  saves  it  from  its  uncleanness. 
Christ  saves  his  church  from  all  spots  and  wrinkles, 
and  presents  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church.  Hark 
and  hear  those  sons  and  daughters  speak  in  loud 
exclaim  ;  "  Thou  hast  loved  us  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  thine  own  blood." 

Our  next  endeavors  will  be  directed  to  illustrate 
what  the  Apostle  means  by  the  holy  calling,  with 
which  he  accompanies  our  salvation,  and  to  show  the 
natural  connexion  in  which  they  stand  to  each  other. 

This  subject  may  be  seen  most  clearly  by  a  little 
improvement  of  the  similes  which  were  used  to  repre- 
sent the  nature  of  salvation.  But  we  may  commence 
these  remarks  by  recurring  to  the  words  of  the  Angel 
to  Joseph ;  "  Thou  shalt  call  his  name  Jesus,  for  he 
shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."  Now  it  ap- 
pears very  consistent  that  when  Jesus  saves  a  sinner 
from  his  sins,  he  should  at  the  same  time  call  him  to 
walk  in  holiness  of  life.  Otherwise  what  benefit  could 
there  result  from  this  salvation? 

If  what  is  meant  by  saving  the  sinner,  is  to  save  him 
from  the  penalty  of  the  law,  it  is  true  such  a  salvation 
might  be  entirely  disconnected  with  a  holy  calling.  If 
a  man,  for  instance,  have  stolen,  for  which  crime  the 
law  says  he  shall  be  thus  and  so  punished,  and  we 
wish  to  save  him  from  receiving  such  punishment, 
there  would  be  no  necessary  connexion  between  such 
salvation  and  the  reformed  and  virtuous  conduct  of 
this  man.  But  if  the  object  be  to  save  the  man  from 
being  a  thief,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  in  this  case  to 
furnish  the  man  with  such  moral  sentiments,  and  such 
a  sense  of  moral  virtue  as  will  prevent  his  repeating 
the  crime. 

There  seems  to  be  an  evident  connexion  likewise, 
between  bringing  the  lost,  sheep  back  to  the  fold,  and 
such  measures  as  might  be  necessary  to  prevent  it 
from  again  going  astray  ;  for  if  the  propensity  to  wan- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  239 

der  still  remains,  and  there  be  no  provisions  to  prevent 
indulgence,  there  would  seem  an  impropriety  in  mak- 
ing those  exertions  by  which  the  sheep  was  found  and 
returned  to  the  fold. 

This  subject  is  very  clearly  seen  in  the  case  of  the 
reformed  prodigal.  If  after  he  had  returned  to  his 
father's  house,  and  had  been  there  most  kindly  re- 
ceived ;  if  after  all  his  penitence  and  reformation  ;  if 
after  he  had  been  clothed  with  the  best  robe,  had  shoes 
put  on  his  feet,  and  his  father's  ring  upon  Ins  hand ;  if 
after  partaking  of  the  fatted  calf  and  the  joys  of  the 
family  on  this  occasion,  he  had  again  turned  his  back 
on  his  father,  and  again  acted  the  prodigal,  the  joy  that 
had  lighted  up  the  countenances  of  the  family  would 
most  surely  have  been  turned  into  mourning,  and  in 
room,  of  festivity,  fasting  would  be  more  suitable  to  the 
occasion. 

But  it  is  most  clearly  seen  that  every  circumstance 
which  contributed  to  the  return  of  this  lost  son,  and  all 
the  favor  which  was  shown  him  by  his  father,  togeth- 
er with  all  the  enjoyments  of  the  full  and  well  replen- 
ished house  to  which  he  was  welcomed,  called,  in  the 
most  persuasive  manner,  on  him  who  had  been  dead, 
but  made  alive,  who  had  been  lost,  but  was  found,  to 
take  heed  to  his  ways,  to  stand  fast  in  the  liberty 
wherewith  his  father  had  made  him  free,  that  he  might 
continue  to  enjoy  those  invaluable  blessings. 

My  christian  friends,  has  our  merciful  Father  in  hea- 
ven condescended  to  forgive  us  all  our  trespasses,  has 
ne  clothed  us  with  the  white  linen  of  the  righteousness 
of  Christ,  have  we  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious, 
and  been  permitted  to  set  at  his  table,  and  to  feast  on 
ihose  rich  provisions  with  which  Zion  is  blessed? 
And  do  not  these  favors  call  us  with  an  holy  calling, 
to  do  justly,  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with 

God  ?  .  c 

This  same  Apostle  has  signified  the  sentiment  ot  our 
text,  in  the  following  words  to  Titus  ;  "  For  the  grace 
of  God  which  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  to  all 
men,  teaching  us,  that,  denying  ungodliness  and  world- 
ly lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly 


240  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

in  this  present  world.  Looking  for  that  blessed  hope, 
and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he 
might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people  zealous  of  good  works." 
Here  is  redemption  from  all  iniquity,  and  purification 
unto  good  works.  And  this  is  again  expressed  in  the 
following  words  to  the  Ephesians ;  "  For  by  grace  are 
ye  saved  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves  ; 
it  is  the  gift  of  God :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should 
boast.  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  or- 
dained that  we  should  walk  in  them."  One  passage 
more  may  suffice  on  this  particular.  St.  Peter  ad- 
dresses his  brethren  as  follows  ;  "Grace  and  peace  be 
multiplied  unto  you  through  the  knowledge  of  God, 
and  of  Jesus  our  Lord,  according  as  his  divine  power 
hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  pertain  unto  life  and 
godliness,  through  the  knowledge  of  him  that  hath 
called  us  to  glory  and  virtue  ;  whereby  are  given  unto 
us  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises  ;  that  by 
these  ye  might  be  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  hav- 
ing escaped  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world  through 
lust.  And,  beside  this,  giving  all  diligence,  add  to 
your  faith,  virtue ;  and  to  virtue  knowledge ;  and  to 
knowledge,  temperance  ;  and  to  temperance,  patience  ; 
and  to  patience,  godliness ;  and  to  godliness,  brother- 
ly kindness ;  and  to  brotherly  kindness,  charity.  For 
if  these  things  be  in  you,  and  abound,  they  make  you 
that  ye  shall  neither  be  barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But  he  that 
lacketh  these  things  is  blind,  and  cannot  see  afar  off, 
and  hath  forgotten  that  he  was  purged  from  his  old 
sins.  Wherefore  the  rather  brethren,  give  diligence  to 
make  your  calling  and  election  sure ;  for  if  ye  do 
these  things  ye  shall  never  fall ;  for  so  an  entrance  shall 
be  ministered  unto  you  abundantly  into  the  everlast- 
ing kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

By  the  similes  and  passages  which  we  have  employ- 
<  (1  in  the  illustration  of  this  section  of  our  text,  it  ap- 
pears that  holiness  of  life  is  a  requisition  enjoined  by 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  241 

the  gospel,  and  that  this  holiness  of  conduct  should  be 
considered  as  properly  connected  with  our  salvation 
from  sin. 

In  the  passage  quoted  from  St.  Peter,  we  may  no- 
tice particularly  that  we  are  required  to  add  to  our 
faith  the  christian  graces,  such  as  virtue,  knowledge, 
temperance,  patience,  godliness,  brotherly  kindness, 
and  charity,  with  the  assurance,  that  if  these  things 
bo  in  us,  and  abound,  our  fruitfulness  in  the  know- 
ledge of  our  Lord  will  be  such  whereby  an  entrance 
will  be  administered  unto  us  abundantly  into  the  ever- 
lasting kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ. 

The  conclusion  then  is  evident,  that  although  we 
may  profess  the  true  faith,  yet  if  we  do  not  attend  to 
our  holy  calling,  our  faith  becomes  dead,  cannot  work 
by  love,  nor  purify  the  heart. 

Let  us  therefore,  my  brethren,  endeavor  to  adorn 
the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour,  by  walking  worthy 
of  the  vocation  wherewith  we  are  called. 

Our  text  informs  us  that  our  salvation  and  calling 
are  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  the 
purpose  and  grace  of  God.  which  was  given  us  in 
Christ  Jesus,  before  the  world  began.  By  this  we  un- 
derstand, that  as  early  as  the  divine  Being  purposed 
the  gift  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  world  of  mankind,  he 
gave  us  in  him  this  salvation  and  holy  calling.  This 
grant  therefore,  could  not  be  governed  by  the  works  of 
man,  it  could  not  be  said  to  be  according  to  our  works 
for  the  following  reasons. 

1st.  It  was  given  us  in  Jesus  Christ  before  we  were 
either  born  or  had  done  good  or  evil. 

This  subject  may  be  represented  by  the  following 
similes.  When  the  Almighty  made  the  earth,  the  sun, 
the  moon,  and  all  things  for  the  convenience  of  all 
creatures,  he  gave  the  present  generation  of  men  the 
earth,  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  all  material  things.  This 
gift,  being  in  the  constitution  of  nature,  and  made  sure 
to  us  ages  before  we  were  born,  could  not  have  been 
given  as  a  reward  for  our  works. 

Again,  When  the  Creator  formed  Adam,  and  con- 
21 


242  BALLOU's    LECTURES. 

stituted  him  the  natural  father  of  us  all,  he  then  gave 
us,  in  him,  eyes,  with  which  we  see,  ears,  with  which 
we  hear,  mouth's  with  which  we  speak,  feet,  with 
which  we  walk,  and  hands,  with  which  we  labor. 
And  it  is  very  evident,  that  these  gifts  were  not  given 
us  as  a  compensation  for  our  works.  But  it  appears 
very  clear  that  our  duty,  and  natural  calling,  to  make 
proper  use  of  our  eyes,  our  ears,  our  mouths,  our  feet, 
and  our  hands  was  given  us  in  that  constitution  in 
which  those  natural  faculties  were  given. 

Though  we  are  much  crowded  for  want  of  time  to 
illustrate  the  several  remaining  particulars  contained  in 
our  text,  we  feel  pressed  to  mention  in  this  place,  the 
error  so  frequently  urged  on  us  by  those  who  exhort  us 
to  get  an  interest  in  Christ.  The  hearer  will  perceive 
by  these  plain  arguments,  and  the  passage  under  con- 
sideration, that  we  all  had  an  interest  in  Jesus  Christ 
before  the  world  began.  And  you  will  further  observe 
that  there  is  just  as  much  propriety  in  exhorting  people 
to  get  an  interest  in  Adam  so  that  they  may  inherit 
from  him  the  natural  faculties  of  the  body,  as  to  ex- 
hort us  to  get  an  interest  in  Christ.  But  it  is  not  only  , 
proper,  but  highly  necessary  that  all  adhere  to  the 
exhortation  to  improve  all  temporal  and  all  spiritual 
blessings  and  gifts  in  a  way  to  honor  the  benevolent 
giver. 

2d.  If  the  Apostle  made  a  comparison  between  his 
former  conduct,  when  he  was  among  the  persecutors 
of  Christ,  his  doctrine,  and  his  disciples,  he  might  very 
justly  say  that  the  salvation  which  he  had  obtained  by 
the  gospel,  and  the  holy  calling  with  which  he  was 
called  were  not  according  to  his  former  works.  And 
if  the  comparison  be  made  between  the  conduct  of 
others,  and  this  salvation,  the  result  is  expressed  by 
the  Apostle  to  Titus  as  follows ;  "  For  we  ourselves 
also  were  sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  deceived, 
serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  living  in  malice  and 
envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one  another.  But  after  that 
the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  toward  man 
appeared,  not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have 
done,   but    according  to  his    mercy   he  saved   us,  by 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  243 

the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  ho- 
ly Ghost ;  which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour." 

Having  made  these  important  statements  to  which 
we  have  attended,  the  Apostle  proceeds  in  the  conclu- 
sion of  our  text,  to  speak  of  the  vast  utility  of  the  ap- 
pearing of  Jesus  Christ  in  our  world,  which  was  to 
make  those  things  manifest  by  abolishing  death  and 
bringing  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gos- 
pel. 

It  is  perfectly  consistent  with  the  nature  of  things, 
and  with  common  observation,  that  the  manifesta- 
tion of  things  is  subsequent  to  their  being  estab- 
lished in  the  counsel  of  him  who  ordains  them.  And 
as  it  would  be  a  mistake  of  no  small  magnitude  to  at- 
tribute to  the  manifestation  of  things,  the  cause  ofjtheir 
existence,  so  it  is  an  error  of  extensive  magnitude,  to 
attribute  to  the  manifestation  or  appearance  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  what  he  did  in  our  world,  the  cause  of  that 
gift  which  was  made  sure  to  us,  in  him,  before  the 
world  began. 

The  divine  truths  taught  by  the  Saviour,  the  doc- 
trine of  God's  love  to  sinners,  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
were  all  as  true  before  the  birth,  preaching,  and  suf- 
ferings of  Jesus,  as  they  have  been  since.  The  glori- 
ous doctrine  of  the  resurrection  and  of  future  eternal 
life  was  as  true  before  the  process  of  Jesus  commenc- 
ed, as  since.  This  accounts  for  all  the  passages  which 
represent  our  Saviour  as  the  faithful  and  true  witness. 
It  agrees  with  his  own  words  to  Pilate ;  "  For  this 
cause  was  I  born,  and  to  this  end  came  I  into  the 
world,  that  I  should  bear  witness  to  the  truth."  And 
the  same  thing  is  meant  by  St.  Paul  to  the  Romans  ; 
"  But  God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that, 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us." 

It  seems  that  all  which  the  Saviour  did,  was  de- 
signed as  a  manifestation  of  those  divine  things,  which 
our  heavenly  Father  had  given  us  before  the  world  be- 
gan. Things  that  had  been  kept  secret  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world  were  made  known  when  this  sun 


244  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

of  righteousness  arose  with  healing  in  his  beams.  So 
does  the  rising  sun,  which  makes  our  natural  day,  mani- 
fest the  surrounding  objects,  which  the  darkness  of 
night  had  obscured  from  our  sight. 

The  resurrection  of  Jesus  made  manifest  the  aboli- 
tion of  death-  It  brought  to  open  light  what  was 
shown  unto  Moses  at  the  bush,  when  God  said  ;  "  I  am 
the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 
God  of  Jacob.  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but 
of  the  living,  for  all  live  unto  him." 

Our  text  informs  us,  that  Jesus  Christ  hath  not  only 
abolished  death,  but  hath  brought  life  and  immortality 
to  light  through  the  gospel.  This  form  of  expression 
fully  acknowledges  that  life  and  immortality  were  di- 
vine facts  in  the  economy  of  God  before  the  coming  of 
Christ,  but  that  his  process  was  necessary  to  make 
these  glorious  things  known  to  mankind. 

To  conclude,  the  arguments  to  which  we  have  at- 
tended are  designed  to  show  that  the  common  notion 
of  saving  mankind  from  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God  in 
the  eternal  world  is  without  foundation,  either  in  scrip- 
ture or  reason  ;  and  that  according  to  the  scriptures 
our  immortality  and  eternal  life  were  established  in  the 
economy  of  divine  wisdom  before  man  existed.  Also, 
that  the  salvation  which  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  ef- 
fects for  us,  is  a  salvation  from  our  sins,  from  our  wan- 
derings, from  the  darkness  of  our  deceived  minds,  from 
"nil  uncleanness,  to  righteousness,  to  reconciliation  to 
God,  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  to  holiness  of 
life. 

And  if  it  be  asked,  what  there  is  for  us  to  do,  if  we 
believe  this  doctrine,  we  reply  in  the  words  of  divine 
truth,  which  have  been  already  noticed.  "  Giving  all 
diligence,  add  to  your  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue, 
knowledge  ;  and  to  knowledge,  temperance ;  and  to 
temperance,  patience  ;  and  to  patience,  godliness ; 
and  to  godliness,  brotherly  kindness  ;  and  to  brotherly 
kindness,  charity. 

Furthermore,  if  we  be  asked,  what  reward  we  may 
expect  for  our  careful  attention  to  these  virtues,  we 


BALLOu's    LECTURES.  245 

again  reply  ;  In  keeping  the  commandments  there  is 
great  reward.  Great  peace  have  they  that  love  the 
law,  and  nothing  shall  offend  them.  "  And  the  work 
of  righteousness  shall  be  peace,  and  the  effect  of  right- 
eousness,  quietness,  and  assurance  forever." 


21* 


LECTURE    XVIII 

EXPLANATION  OF  MATT.    XXIV.    AND  XXV. 

MATTHEW  xxv.  4fi. 

And  these  shall  go   away  into  everlasting  punishment :  but  the  righteous 

into  life  eternal. 

While  calling  the  attention  of  this  congregation  to 
the  consideration  of  this  portion  of  our  Saviour's  testi- 
mony, many  difficulties  are  presented  to  the  mind  of 
the  speaker ;  some  of  which  it  may  be  profitable  to 
name. 

1 .  The  long  established  use  and  application  of  this 
text,  by  commentators,  preachers,  and  all  denomina- 
tions of  christians  stand  in  direct  opposition,  in  one 
important  particular,  to  the  use  and  application  which 
your  servant  feels  himself  obligated  to  make  of  it. 
The  particular  alluded  to  is  the  applying  of  this 
text  to  a  future  state  of  our  existence.  And  to  this 
may  be  added  another  particular,  nearly  as  univer- 
sally assented  to  as  the  former,  which  is  the  belief  that 
this  text  proves  the  endless  duration  of  misery. 

2d.  The  power  of  tradition  in  the  human  mind  forms 
the  most  material  difficulty  which  seems  to  oppose  our 
attempt  to  bring  the  true  meaning  of  our  Saviour,  in 
the  passage  before  us,  to  the  hearer's  understanding. 
It  is  vain,  my  friends,  to  pretend  that  we  are  free  in 
our  minds  from  the  force  of  education.  Indeed  we 
ought  not  to  be.  We  were  wisely  so  constituted,  that 
what  we  imbibe  in  our  youth  should  fix  a  lasting  pre- 
possession in  cur  minds,  in  favor  of  opinions  which  are 
recommended  by  our  instructors,  and  against  those 
which  we  have  been  taught  to  view  erroneous.  But 
we  should  do  well  to  consider,  that  while  it  is  acknow- 
ledged that  great  benefits  arise  from  this  natural  and 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  247 

necessary  bias  of  the  human  mind,  it  is  equally  true, 
that  it  may  often  so  happen  as  to  produce  effects  most 
pernicious.  Solomon  says  ;  "  train  up  a  child  in  the 
way  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not  de- 
part from  it."  Here  the  author  relies  on  the  force  of 
education,  and  gives  a  most  wholesome  advice  to  those 
who  have  the  charge  of  children,  to  bring  them  up  in 
the  way  they  should  go.  And  it  is  furthermore  evi- 
dent that  the  recommendation  designed  to  guard 
against  the  unhappy  effects  of  the  same  power  in  a 
case  where  an  erroneous  education  should  be  imposed 
on  youth. 

Having  been  taught  in  our  tender  years  that  our 
heavenly  Father  has  ordained  a  state  of  the  most 
dreadful  torment  in  the  future  state  for  those  who  are 
sinners  in  this  world,  and  having  been  instructed  at  the 
same  time  to  apply  the  text  under  consideration,  togeth- 
er with  almost  all  passages  of  scripture,  which  speak  of 
the  punishment  of  the  wicked  to  this  future  state  of 
misery,  it  has  become  as  habitual  for  the  mind  to  ap- 
ply such  passages  to  this  future  misery,  as  to  apply  the 
names  London,  Boston,  and  Philadelphia  to  the  Cities 
of  these  names  ;  or  as  to  apply  the  names  Washington, 
Franklin,  and  Adams  to  the  distinguished  statesmen  of 
these  names. 

Under  these  circumstances,  the  opposer  of  divine 
truth  has  nothing  to  do,  but  to  rest  upon  the  prejudice 
of  the  public  mind.  He  comes  forward  with  all  possi- 
ble assurance  and  boldly  asserts  that  our  Saviour  has 
laid  it  down  in  the  most  solemn  and  unequivocal  man- 
ner that  "  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved  and  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned ;" 
laying  an  emphasis  on  the  damnatory  term  that  causes 
our  nerves  to  tremble.  He  depends  entirely  on  the 
prepossessions  of  the  public  mind  to  apply  this  damna- 
tion to  a  future  state  ;  an  application  in  no  way  inti- 
mated by  our  Saviour,  and  by  no  means  intimated 
by  any  words  in  connexion  with  the  passage. 

In  the  same  way  the  preacher,  who  applies  our  text 
to  a  state  of  punishment  in  the  future  world,  mana- 
ges with  the  prejudice  of  his  hearers.     He  says  ;  the 


248  BALLOTS    LECTURES. 

divine  teacher  himself  has  told  us,  that  at  the  last  judg- 
ment, when  all  the  dead  are  raised  and  brought  to  the 
tremendous  bar  of  God,  the  sinner  will  be  placed  on 
the  left  hand,  and  sentenced  to  everlasting  punishment. 
He  depends  entirely  on  the  blind  prejudice  of  his 
hearers'  minds  to  justify  his  assertions,  and  the  applica- 
tion he  makes  of  the  text.  There  is  not  a  word  in 
the  text  nor  in  any  part  of  its  connexions,  that  inti- 
mates any  thing  about  a  resurrection  of  any  from  the 
dead,  or  that  the  judgment  treated  of  in  this  chapter 
is  the  last  judgment,  or  that  any  part  of  the  subject 
belongs  to  a  future  state. 

But  notwithstanding  the  embarrassments  which  have 
been  named,  and  another  which  is  by  no  means  in- 
considerable, the  very  limited  abilities  of  the  speaker, 
which  are  sensibly  felt  as  inadequate  to  make  a  prop- 
er arrangement  of  the  momentous  subject  before  us, 
and  altogether  unequal  to  the  task  of  contending 
against  the  host  of  prejudices  which  are  marshalled 
against  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ,  yet  there  are 
two  considerations  which  are  highly  encouraging. 
The  testimony  of  Jesus  which  lies  before  us,  and  which 
stands  connected  with  our  text  makes  our  subject  so 
very  plain  that  it  seems  to  promise  conviction  to  eve- 
ry mind ;  and  the  remarkable  candor  which  has  char- 
acterised this  congregation,  while  attending  to  this 
course  of  lectures,  gives  that  support  to  the  speaker, 
without  which  he  would  have  been  discouraged. 

It  may  be  well  for  us  to  raise  some  queries  respect- 
ing the  general  use  of  this  portion  of  scripture,  by 
which  the  mind  of  the  hearer  may  be  the  better  pre- 
pared to  seek  for  its  true  application. 

1st.  As  this  passage  is  usually  applied  to  a  future 
state,  let  us  ask  whether  in  order  to  justify  such  an  ap- 
plication it  be  not  indispensable  that  some  part  of  the 
testimony  in  connexion  with  the  text  should  designate 
that  it  belongs,  not  to  this  state,  but  to  a  future 
world?  For  instance,  should  the  speaker,  this  eve 
Ding  contend  that  this  twenty-fifth  of  Matthew  treat- 
ed of  things  which  took  place  before  Noah's  flood, 
should  you  not  feel  justisfied  in  opposing  such  an  ex- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  249 

travagant  statement  by  saying,  that  there  is  not  a  sin- 
gle intimation  in  the  whole  chapter  that  gives  any 
countenance  to  it  ?  You  certainly  would.  Then  be 
so  candid,  kind  hearer,  as  to  acknowledge,  that  in  or- 
der to  justify  the  application  of  this  scripture  to  a  fu- 
ture state  of  existence,  there  must  be  found  something 
in  the  testimony  that  so  applies  it. 

2d.  As  it  is  the  current  opinion  that  in  order  for 
the  accomplishment  of  the  judgment  treated  of  in  this 
chapter,  all  the  dead  must  be  raised,  have  we  not  a 
right  to  contend,  that  in  order  to  support  this  opinion, 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead  should  be  distinctly  stated 
somewhere  in  the  general  account  ? 

If  the  speaker  should  now  say,  that  according  to 
the  testimony  of  the  Saviour  concerning  the  judgment 
in  the  25th  of  Matthew,  the  gift  of  speech  will  be 
given  to  all  the  beasts,  to  all  the  birds,  and  to  all  the 
fishes ;  and  that  at  that  time  we  shall  hear  them  all 
talk  in  our  native  language,  if  you  thought  proper  to 
refute  such  a  visionary  notion,  would  it  not  be  suffi- 
cient to  say  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  chapter  or  its 
connexion  that  gives  any  authority  for  such  a  state- 
ment ?  It  is  hoped  then  that  you  will  acknowledge, 
that  if  it  be  allowed  that  all  the  dead  will  be  raised  be- 
fore the  judgment,  recorded  in  this  chapter,  can  take 
place,  we  must  be  able  to  find  authority  for  this  opin- 
ion in  the  account  before  us. 

3d.  As  it  is  held  that  the  judgment  of  which  we 
read  in  this  chapter  is  the  last  judgment,  is  it  not  very 
proper  that  we  should  be  able  to  find  some  proof  of 
this  idea  in  some  part  of  the  testimony  of  the  divine 
instructor  ? 

But  in  relation  to  these  particulars,  we  feel  confi- 
dent in  what  has  already  been  said,  that  there  is  no 
intimation  in  the  whole  account  before  us,  that  this 
judgment  is  the  last  judgment,  or  that  the  dead  will 
be  raised  to  be  brought  to  it,  or  that  it  relates  to  a  fu- 
ture state. 

The  attention  of  the  hearer  is  now  solicited  to  the 
following  statements,  which  the  speaker  expects  to 
prove  in  this  discourse! 


250  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

1st.  The  time  of  the  judgment  under  consideration, 
is  confined  to  the  generation  in  which  our  Saviour  lived 
on  earth,  according  to  his  own  testimony. 

2d.  The  Jews,  as  a  people,  who  rejected  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ,  and  persecuted  his  apostles  were  those 
who  were  sentenced  to  everlasting  punishment.     And, 

3d.  Those    who   believed   in    Jesus   and    received 
the  testimony,  and  administered  to  the  necessities  of 
his  persecuted  Apostles,  were  those  that  were  blessed 
with  life  eternal. 

The  better  to  bring  those  statements,  accompanied 
with  their  proper  proofs,  before  the  mind  of  the 
hearer,  we  shall  commence  our  examination  of  the 
divine  testimony  where  the  subject  before  us  seems 
to  begin.     This  is  in  the  latter  part  of  the  23d  chapter. 

It  seems  that  Jesus  was  in  the  temple  where  he  ad 
dressed  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  calling  them  hypo- 
crites, blind  guides,  serpents,  and  a  generation  of  vi- 
pers. He  then  proceeds  to  testify  to  them  the  judg- 
ment which  would  come  upon  them,  and  the  occasion 
of  it.  "  Wherefore,  behold,  I  send  unto  you  pro- 
phets, and  wise  men,  and  scribes  ;  and  some  of  them 
ye  shall  kill  and  crucify ;  and  some  of  them  shall  ye 
scourge  in  your  synagogues,  and  persecute  them  from 
city  to  city  :  that  upon  you  may  come  all  the  righteous 
blood  shed  upon  the  earth,  from  the  blood  of  righteous 
Abel  unto  the  blood  of  Zacarias,  son  of  Barachias, 
whom  ye  slew  between  the  temple  and  the  altar. 
Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  all  these  things  shall  come  up- 
on this  generation." 

Be  so  good,  my  friends,  as  to  remember  this  declar- 
ation of  the  Saviour.  He  here  speaks  of  the  most  tre- 
mendous judgment  that  ever  fell  on  mankind,  and  he 
confines  the  time  to  that  generation.  He  then  lament- 
ed over  Jerusalem,  spake  of  its  desolation,  and  said  ; 
"  Ye  shall  not  see  me  henceforth  till  ye  shall  say,  bless- 
ed is  he  that  comcth  in  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

Here  ends  the  23d  chapter,  and  the  24th  commen- 
ces by  informing  us  that  "  Jesus  went  out,  and  depart- 
ed from  the  temple  :  and  his  disciples  came  to  him,  for 
to  show  him  the  buildings  of  the  temple.     And  Jesus 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  251 

said  unto  them,  See  ye  not  all  these  things  ?  Verily  I 
say  unto  you,  there  shall  not  be  left  here  one  stone 
upon  another,  that  shall  not  be  thrown  down." 
Here  it  is  evident,  that  Jesus  alluded  to  the  event  of 
which  he  had  been  speaking  to  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, which  was  the  calamitous  destruction  and  deso- 
lation of  their  city. 

"  And  as  he  sat  upon  the  mount  of  Olives,  the  dis- 
ciples came  unto  him  privately,  saying,  tell  us,  when 
shall  these  things  be  ?  and  what  shall  be  the  sign  of 
thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  world  ? 

Here  let  us  carefully  notice  what  is  embraced  in  the 
questions  proposed  by  the  disciples.  They  asked  the 
divine  master,  when  the  things  which  he  had  de- 
nounced on  the  Jews  should  take  place.  And  also, 
what  would  be  the  sign  of  his  coming,  and  of  the  end 
of  the  world. 

In  reply  to  these  questions,  Jesus  delivered  all  that 
is  recorded  in  the  remainder  of  this,  and  the  following 
chapter.  So  that  in  order  to  understand  what  he 
meant  in  the  25th  we  must  preserve  the  connexion  of 
the  subject,  which  evidently  commences  in  the  23d, 
and  continues  to  the  end  of  the  25th. 

Jesus  replies ;  "  Take  heed  that  no  man  deceive 
you :  for  many  shall  come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am 
Christ. ;  and  shall  deceive  many.  And  ye  shall  hear 
of  wars,  and  rumors  of  wars  ;  see  that  ye  be  not  troub- 
led ;  for  all  these  things  must  come  to  pass,  but  the 
end  is  not  yet." 

Here  let  us  carefully  inquire  what  Jesus  meant  by 
the  end  ?  Did  he  here  speak  of  the  end  of  what  the 
disciples  asked  him  ?  No  doubt.  For  if  they  asked 
him  concerning  the  end  of  the  world,  and  he,  in  his 
reply,  spake  of  the  end  of  something  else,  and  not  of 
the  end  of  the  world,  the  answer  was  calculated  to  de- 
ceive. It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  when  Jesus  said, 
as  has  been  quoted ;  "  the  end  is  not  yet,"  he  meant 
that  the  end  of  the  world,  of  which  his  disciples  asked 
him,  was  not  yet. 

He  proceeds  :  "  For  nation  shall  rise  against  nation, 
and  kingdom   against  kingdom  ;    and  there  shall    be 


252  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

famines  and  pestilences,  and  earthquakes  in  divers 
places.  All  these  are  the  beginning  of  sorrows. 
Then  shall  they  deliver  you  up  to  be  afflicted,  and 
shall  kill  you :  and  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  nations  for 
my  name's  sake.  And  then  shall  many  be  offended, 
and  shall  betray  one  another,  and  shall  hate  one  anoth- 
er. And  many  false  prophets  shall  rise,  and  shall  de- 
ceive many.  And,  because  iniquity  shall  abound,  the 
love  of  many  shall  wax  cold.  But  he  that  shall  endure 
unto  the  end,  the  same  shall  be  saved."  The  end  of 
what  ?  Answer,  the  end  of  the  world,  of  which  the 
disciples  asked  him. 

"And  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached 
in  all  the  world,  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations  ;  and 
then  shall  the  end  come." 

The  end  of  what  ?  The  end  of  the  world.  Ob- 
serve, the  disciples  asked  Jesus  concerning  the  end  of 
the  world,  and  he  replies  to  their  query.  He  speaks 
of  the  end  three  times.  He  first  says;  "the  end  is 
not  yet;"  secondly,  he  says;  "He  that  endureth  un- 
to the  end,  the  same  shall  be  saved ;  and  lastly,  he 
says;  "  then  shall  the  end  come."  And  as  the  end 
of  the  world  was  the  only  end  spoken  of,  we  feel  safe 
in  believing  that  Jesus  meant  to  speak  of  what  his  dis- 
ciples meant  by  the  end  of  the  world. 

A  hope  is  entertained  that  the  attention  of  the  hear- 
er will  be  successful  in  obtaining  a  clear  understanding 
of  what  is  here  meant  by  the  end  of  the  world.  We 
have  been  in  the  habit,  by  means  of  our  early  educa- 
tion, of  supposing  that  by  the  end  of  the  world  here 
mentioned,  the  destruction  of  the  natural  world  was 
intended.  And  this  is  now  the  general  opinion.  Re- 
ligious people  suppose  that  the  end  of  the  world,  of 
which  mention  is  made  in  this  chapter,  means  the  end 
of  this  material  system.  And  they  expect  that  the 
earth,  the  sun,  and  the  moon,  will  be  literally  destroy- 
ed. The  speaker  is  apprehensive  that  many  now  in 
this  congregation  have  these  views ;  and  consequently 
suppose  that  when  Jesus  said  ;  "  Then  shall  the  end 
come,  he  meant  the  same  thing  as  has  been  held  up  by 
our  christian  divines,  and    preached  upon  so  much, 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  253 

and  made  a  common  topic  in  those  frequent  discourses, 
the  objects  of  which  were  to  terrify  people  with  the 
thoughts  of  seeing  the  earth  burn  up,  the  dead  coming 
out  of  their  graves  to  judgment,  and  the  wicked  plung- 
ed into  hell. 

My  dear  friends,  if  these  are  your  views,  your  ser- 
vant feels  no  disposition  to  censure  you,  he  knows  too 
well  the  effects  of  tradition  to  blame  any  one  for  these 
notions  ;  but  you  are  now  called  on  to  exercise  that 
reason  which  distinguishes  us  from  beasts,  and  consti- 
tutes us  the  favored  subjects  of  a  divine  revelation,  so 
that  you  may  be  able  to  form  a  correct  judgment  of 
the  subject  now  before  you.  Let  us  carefully  prooeed 
with  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  and  endeavor  to  learn  the 
events  with  which  he  connects  and  designates  the  end 
of  the  world. 

"  When  ye  therefore,  shall  see  the  abomination  of 
desolation,  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  stand  in 
the  holy  place,  then  let  them  which  be  in  Judea 
flee  into  the  mountains."  When  does  Jesus  direct 
them  that  be  in  Judea  to  flee  into  the  mountains  ? 
Answer,  At  the  end  of  the  world.  But  if  the  end  of 
the  world  mean  what  tradition  has  taught  us,  why 
should  those  that  may  be  in  Judea  at  the  time,  when 
this  earth  is  to  be  dissolved,  and  all  the  dead  raised  to 
judgment,  flee  into  the  mountains  ? 

But  we  proceed.  "  Let  him  which  is  on  the  house 
top  not  come  down  to  take  any  thing  out  of  his  house  ; 
neither  let  him  which  is  in  the  field  return  back  to  take 
his  clothes.  And  wo  unto  them  that  are  with  child, 
and  to  them  that  give  suck  in  those  days !  But  pray 
ye  that  your  flight  be  not  in  the  winter,  neither  on  the 
sabbath  day  ;  for  then  shall  be  great  tribulation,  such 
as  was  not  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this 
time,  no  nor  ever  shall  be."  We  have  been  told  that 
there  will  be  an  eternity  of  trouble,  after  the  end  of  the 
world,  infinitely  greater  than  any  that  ever  preceded; 
but  here  in  the  description  of  the  end  of  the  world,  by 
Jesus  himself,  he  says,  there  shall  never  be  such  a  time 
of  trouble  afterward. 

By  the  peculiar  description  to  which  we  have  attend- 

22 


254  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

ed,  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  the  Saviour  was 
giving  an  account  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by 
the  Romans.  And  it  is  evident,  beyond  all  controver- 
sy, that  all  that  was  meant  by  the  end  of  the  world, 
was  the  end  of  the  Jewish  polity,  and  the  destruction 
of  the  nation,  the  city  and  temple.  That  the  hearer 
may  be  further  satisfied,  that  by  "  the  end  of  the 
world"  is  not  meant  what  our  tradition  has  taught,  we 
notice  the  words  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Hebrews.  Speak- 
ing of  Jesus  he  says  ;  "  But  now  once,  in  the  end  of 
the  world,  hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the 
sacrifice  of  himself."  The  end  of  the  world  here  meant 
was  the  end  of  the  Levitical  priesthood. 

The  Saviour  further  says ;  "  Immediately  after  the 
tribulation  of  those  days  shall  the  sun  be  darkened, 
and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars 
shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the  heaven 
shall  be  shaken :  and  then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the 
son  of  man  in  heaven  ;  and  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of 
the  earth  mourn,  and  they  shall  see  the  son  of  man 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great 
glory.  And  he  shall  send  his  angels  with  a  great  sound 
of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect 
from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the 
other."  Here  carefully  observe  that  Jesus  speaks  of 
the  sign  of  his  coming,  and  also  of  his  coming  with 
power  and  great  glory  ;  and  of  his  sending  forth  his 
angels,  &c.  Let  us  here  ask  the  question,  how  we 
shall  time  the  event  here  spoken  of?  Has  this  event 
ever  taken  place  ?  Tradition  says,  No,  but  it  will  take 
place  at  the  dissolution  of  this  earth.  But  what  right 
have  we  to  time  this  event  ?  If  Jesus  did  not  time  it, 
have  we  a  right  to  ?  And  if  Jesus  has  timed  it,  have 
we  a  right  to  alter  the  time  ?     Hear  his  words. 

"Now  learn  a  parable  of  the  fig-tree:  When  its 
branches  are  yet  tender,  and  putteth  forth  leaves,  ye 
know  that  summer  is  nigh  ;  so  likewise  ye,  when  ye 
shall  see  all  these  things,  know  that  it  is  near,  even  at 
the  doors.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  this  generation  shall 
not  pass  till  all  these  things  be  fulfilled.  Heaven  and 
earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  word  shall  not  pass 
away." 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  255 

By  this  plain,  undoubtful  testimony  of  the  divine 
teacher  we  are  authorised  to  believe  that  the  time  of 
which  he  spake,  when  he  should  come  in  his  glory 
with  his  angels  was  in  the  generation  in  which  he  lived. 
He  had  just  before  told  the  Pharisees  that  all  the  right- 
eous blood  shed  upon  the  earth  should  come  upon 
them,  and  was  particular  in  saying  :  "  Verily,  I  sav 
unto  you,  all  these  things  shall  come  upon  this  genera 
tion."  And  now  when  speaking  of  his  coming  in  his 
glory  with  his  angels,  he  says  ;  "  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  this  generation  shall  not  pass  till  all  these  things 
be  fulfilled." 

The  Saviour  proceeds  to  inform  his  disciples,  that 
the  particular  day  and  hour  of  his  coming  were  known 
to  his  Father  only ;  and  in  the  whole  of  the  remaining 
part  of  the  chapter  he  refers  the  events  of  which  he 
speaks  to  the  time  he  had  before  designated  and  con- 
fined   to  that  generation.      This  24th  chapter  ends 
with  an  account  of  what  should  be  done  to  an  evil 
servant,  who  should  "  say  in  his  heart,  my  lord  delay- 
eth  his  coming;  and  shall  begin  to  smite  his  fellow 
servants,  and  to  eat  and  to  drink  with  the  drunken  : 
the  lord  of  that  servant  shall  come  in  a  day  when  he 
looketh  not  for  him,  and  in  an  hour  that  he  is  not 
aware  of,  and  shall  cut  him  asunder,  and  appoint  him 
his  portion  with  the  hypocrites  :  there  shall  be  weep- 
ing and  gnashing  of  teeth."     As  he  had  just  before, 
in  his  address  to  the    Scribes   and    Pharisees,  called 
them   hypocrites,  and    denounced   the  judgments  of 
heaven  upon  them,  he  now  informed  his  disciples,  that 
if  any  who  professed  to  be  his  servants,  should  get 
off  their  watch,  should  say,  my  Lord  delayeth  his  com- 
ing, and  should  eat  and  drink  with  the  drunken,  and 
abuse  his  fellow  servants,  he  should  be  placed  among 
the    hypocrites   on    whom  he    had  denounced  those 
judgments. 

The  25th  chapter  begins  with  the  word  then,  by 
which  it  it  evident  that  the  speaker  meant  to  refer  to 
the  time  he  had  before  designated.  "  Then  shall  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened  unto  ten  virgins." 
When  did  the  Saviour  say  the  kingdom  of  heaven 


256  BALLOU'S  LECTURES. 

1 

should  be  likened  unto  ten  virgins  ?  Answer,  at  the 
time  when  those  judgments  should  come  on  Jerusalem 
and  on  the  Jews,  of  which  he  had  spoken  ;  all  of 
which  he  confined  to  that  generation.  When  he 
should  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and 
great  glory,  and  send  his  angels  forth  to  gather  to- 
gether his  elect ;  all  which  he  confined  to  that  gene- 
ration. 

This  parable  of  the  virgins  was  designed  to  repre- 
sent the  difference  there  would  be  between  the  situa- 
tions of  those  Jews  who  foolishly  rejected  the  Saviour, 
and  who  abused  his  Apostles,  and  those  who  believed 
in  him,  and  administered  to  the  necessities  of  the  pro- 
mulgators of  his  doctrine. 

The  parable  of  the  talents,  which  follows  this  of  the 
ten  virgins,  represents  the  same  thing,  and  so  does  this 
of  the  sheep  and  the  goats. 

This  passage  begins  thus  :  "  When  the  Son  of  man 
shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with 
him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  ; 
and  before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations  ;  and  he 
shall  separate  them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd 
divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats,"  &c. 

Here  be  cautious,  "  When  the  Son  of  man  shall 
come,"  &c.  When  was  this  ?  Look  back  to  the  30th 
verse  of  the  24th  chapter.  "  And  they  shall  see  the 
Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power 
and  great  glory,"  &c.  And  then  observe  that  the 
Saviour  took  all  possible  pains  to  certify  his  disciples 
that  all  these  things  should  take  place  in  that  genera- 
tion. 

The  whole  subject  is  perfectly  plain.  In  the  24th 
chapter  Jesus  spake  of  his  coming  in  his  glory  with  his 
angels,  and  also  of  the  judgment  that  he  would  then 
execute  on  his  enemies  ;  and  here  in  the  25th  chap- 
ter, he  represents  these  things  and  events  by  the  para- 
ble of  the  virgins,  that  of  the  talents,  and  this  of  the 
sheep  and  goats  ;  and  by  keeping  the  connexion  of  the 
subject  it  appears  evident  beyond  all  doubt,  that  this 
parable  alluded  to  the  events  which  took  place  in  the 
generation  in  which  he  lived. 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  257 

But  if  this  subject  had  been  left  in  any  respect 
doubtful,  respecting  the  time  of  this  judgment,  yet 
other  passages  of  our  Saviour's  testimony  respecting 
the  same  event  are  perfectly  sufficient  to  settle  the 
question  and  to  remove  all  doubts. 

See  Matt.  xvi.  27,  28,  "For  the  Son  of  man  shall 
come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  his  angels;  and 
then  he  shall  reward  every  man  according  to  his  works. 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  there  be  some  standing  here 
which  shall  not  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the  Son  of 
man  coming  in  his  kingdom  ."  Mark  viii.  38.  ix.  1. 
"  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  and 
of  my  words  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation, 
of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he 
cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that 
there  be  some  of  them  that  stand  here,  which  shall 
not  taste,  of  death  till  they  have  seen  the  kingdom  of 
God  come  with  power."  Luke  ix.  26,  27,  "  For  who- 
soever shall  be  ashamed  of  me,  and  of  my  words,  of 
him  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  shall 
come  in  his  own  glory,  and  in  his  Father's,  and  of  the 
holy  angels.  But  I  tell  you  of  a  truth,  there  be  some 
standing  here,  which  shall  not  taste  of  death  till  they 
see  the  kingdom  of  God." 

These  passages  fully  and  clearly  show,  that  the  com- 
ing of  Christ  in  his  glory  with  his  angels,  to  reward 
every  man  according  to  his  works,  was  an  event  which 
took  place  in  the  generation  that  lived  at  the  time  that 
Jesus  was  on  the  earth.  And  we  have  another  direct 
proof  of  this  fact  recorded  in  Matt.  x.  22,  23,  "  And 
ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake  ;  but 
he  that  endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved.  But  when 
they  persecute  you  in  this  city,  flee  ye  into  another: 
for  verily  I  say  unto  you,  ye  shall  not  have  gone  over 
the  cities  of  Israel  till  the  Son  of  man  be  come." 

The  time  of  this  judgment  being  thus  settled,  let 
us  inquire  what  accusation  was  brought  against  those 
on  the  left  hand  for  which  they  were  sentenced  to 
everlasting  punishment  ?  The  accusation  runs  thus  : 
"I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  no  meat:  I 


258  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  no  drink  :  I  was  a  stran 
ger,  and  ye  took  me  not  in :  naked,  and  ye  clothed 
me  not :  sick,  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me  not." 
The  accused  ask  when  these  things  took  place  ;  and 
are  told ;  "Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the 
least  of  these,  ye  did  it  not  unto  me."  Notice  here, 
that  Jesus  was  delivering  this  whole  discourse  to  his 
disciples  alone,  on  the  mount  of  Olives.  By  these, 
therefore,  it  is  evident  that  he  meant  his  disciples  ;  and 
he  gave  them  to  understand,  that  the  persecutions 
that  they  should  suffer,  he  would  reckon  as  done  to 
himself.  And  on  the  other  hand,  the  righteous  are 
justified  for  having  done  those  things  to  the  disciples 
of  Christ,  which  the  wicked  had  neglected  to  do  ;  and 
he  accepts  these  acts  of  kindness  as  done  to  himself. 

We  will  here  ask  those,  who  apply  this  subject  to 
the  future  state,  whether  they  will  allow  that  we  are 
to  obtain  an  immortal  state  of  endless  felicity  for  the 
performance  of  our  duty,  in  administering  to  the  wants 
of  our  fellow  creatures  ?  The  fact  is,  after  they  have 
made  such  an  application  of  this  scripture,  they  do 
not  believe  that  our  immortal  state  of  happiness  is  the 
reward  of  our  good  works  here. 

But  we  must  attend  to  the  argument  of  our  oppos- 
ers,  who  contend,  that  the  words  of  this  text  necessa- 
rily mean  an  endless  duration. 

Everlasting  punishment,  and  life  eternal.  They  are 
critical  to  observe,  that  the  words  everlasting  and  eter- 
nal come  from  the  same  word  in  the  Greek  Testament, 
and  they,  therefore,  infer  that  the  duration  of  punish- 
ment must  be  as  long  as  the  duration  of  happiness  in 
the  future  world.  But  they  assume  the  application  of 
these  words  to  a  future  state,  without  even  an  attempt 
to  show,  that  such  an  application  is  justified  by  the 
testimony  of  the  Saviour.  This  application  we  have 
proved  to  be  erroneous  ;  which  necessarily  applies  the 
word  rendered  everlasting  and  eternal  to  what  belongs 
to  the  present  state.  And  that  this  application  is 
Correct  we  prove  as  follows :  The  word  in  Greek,  ren- 
dered everlasting  and  eternal  in  our  language,  19 
(lioonion,  which  is  an  adjective.     The  noun  occurs  in 


BALLOu's    LECTURES.  259 

the  question  which  the  disciples  asked  the  divine  mas- 
ter, in  the  3d  verse  of  the  24th  chapter  :  "  Tell  us, 
when  shall  these  things  be?  and  what  shall  be  the 
sign  of  thy  coming,  and  of  the  end  of  the  (aioonos) 
world  ? "  Now  we  have  proved  that  the  end  of  the 
aioonos,  in  the  24th  chapter  meant  the  end  of  the  Jew- 
ish dispensation.  It  follows  therefore,  by  fair  analo- 
gy, that  if  the  aioonos,  which  came  to  an  end  in  the 
veneration  that  Jesus  lived  on  the  earth,  meant  a  dis- 
pensation or  order  of  things,  that  which  followed 
meant  the  same    (viz.)    a    dispensation  or  order  of 

things. 

The  plain  simple  truth  is  this;  The  dispensation 
and  order  of  the  Jewish  economy  ended,  and  the  gos- 
pel dispensation  and  economy  commenced  ;  and  so 
did  the  dispensation  of  that  long  and  severe  judgment 
on  the  house  of  Israel,  under  which  they  have  groan- 
ed until  this  day. 

We  therefore  render  the  text  thus  ;  "  These  shall  go 
away  into  a  dispensation  of  punishment,  but  the  right- 
eous into  a  dispensation  of  life,  or  into  the  gospel  dis- 
pensation. This  gospel  dispensation  or  awonos,  is 
mentioned  by  the  Saviour,  in  Matt,  xxvin.  20,  "  Where 
Jesus  sent  forth  his  disciples  to  preach,  and  said  to 
them  ;  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always  even  unto  the  end  ot 
the  (aioonos)  world." 

The  hearer  is  referred  to  Parkhurst  s  Greek  Lex- 
icon, where  on  this  word  he  will  find  the  following; 
"  An  a^e,  period,  periodical  dispensation  of  divine 
Providence.  In  Matt.  xxiv.  3,  it  evidently  refers  to 
the  Jewish  age,  or  age  under  the  Mosaic  law  (bee 
Whitby,  Dodridge,  and  Macknight  on  that  text.)  But 
in  Matt,  xxviii.  20,  it  seems  plainly  to  denote  the  age 
under  the  Messiah." 

When  this  subject  is  seen  in  its  own  clear  light, 
when  we  look  at  it  with  the  eye  of  unprejudiced  can- 
dor, and  view  it  in  its  relation  to  the  threatemngs  de- 
nounced by  Moses  on  the  rebellious  house  of  Israel, 
we  see  that  Jesus  denounced  on  the  Jews  no  other 
punishment  than  such  as  Moses  and  the  Prophets  had 
foretold      If  the  hearer  will  examine  the  26th  chapter 


260  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

of  Leviticus,  the  28th  of  Deuteronomy,  the  4th  of  Lam- 
entations, and  compare  them  with  the  24th  and  25th 
of  Matthew,  he  will  be  satisfied  that  neither  Moses,  the 
Prophets,  nor  Jesus  spake  any  thing  of  punishing  the 
house  of  Israel  in  a  future  state  of  existence  ;  but  he  will 
be  convinced  that  not  only  Moses  and  the  Prophets, 
but  Jesus  likewise  did  denounce  the  most  awful  and 
distressing  calamities  on  the  Jews,  that  we  can  possi- 
bly conceive  of  human  sufferings  in  this  world  of  mise- 
ry and  woe. 

When  Pilate,  being  convinced  of  the  innocence  of 
Jesus,  would  have  released  him,  all  the  people  answer- 
ed, saying,  "  His  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children." 
They  pronounced  the  dreadful  imprecation  and  were 
taken  at  their  word.  God  has  visited  the  iniquity  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  children  of  them  who  have  hated 
him,  and  has  executed  on  the  wicked  the  judgments 
which  were  foretold  by  the  prophets. 

But  all  this  seems  nothing  in  the  eye  of  that  blind 
superstition,  which  can  see  no  punishment  for  sin  in 
this  world,  and  which  applies  the  threatenings  to  a  fu- 
ture state.  But  in  the  judgment  of  reason,  and  in  the 
light  of  divine  revelation,  the  punishments  which  have 
been  inflicted  on  the  Jews  for  the  wickedness  with 
which  scripture  and  history  charge  them,  have  been  ac- 
cording to  their  sins. 

As  to  the  argument,  that  punishment  must  be  as 
durable  as  happiness,  it  not  only  seems  to  be  destitute 
of  any  evidence,  but  repugnant  to  reason.  Punish- 
ment is  designed  to  reclaim  from  sin,  that  happiness 
may  succeed ;  but  if  punishment  be  endless  it  certain- 
ly is  the  end  of  divine  Providence,  and  not  the  means 
by  which  he  brings  a  more  glorious  end  to  pass. 

To  conclude  :  my  friends,  the  dealings  of  God  with 
his  children  in  past  ages,  should  be  regarded  by  us 
Bfl  examples  of  his  faithfulness  to  his  promises  and  his 
threatenings.  As  our  heavenly  Father  has  always  re- 
warded the  righteous,  and  punished  the  wicked  in  a 
waj  to  make  Ins  approbation  of  the  former  and  his 
disaprobation  of  the  latter  evident  to  every  observing 
muni.,  let  us  be  wise  for  ourselves  and  for  our  children. 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  261 

If  we  approve  the  opportunity  which  God  has  offered 
us,  to  throw  off  error  and  superstition,  and  to  receive 
Christ  and  his  pure  religion,  we  shall  enter  into  life; 
and  our  children  after  us,  in  room  of  inheriting  from 
us,  error  and  darkness,  will  bless  their  fathers  and  their 
mothers,  who  resolved  to  throw  off  the  doctrine  of 
despair,  and  to  espouse  the  hope  of  the  gospel  of  God 
our  Saviour. 


LECTURE    XIX. 

RIGHTEOUSNESS     AND     WICKEDNESS     RECOMPENSED      ON 

EARTH. 

PROVERBS  xi.  31. 

Behold,  the  righteous  shall  be  recompensed  in  the  earth;  much  more  the 

wicked  and  the  sinner. 

Among  the  reasons  for  calling  your  attention  at  this 
time,  to  the  consideration  of  this  subject,  the  following 
may  be  named  : 

1.  This  passage  having  been  made  the  subject  of 
one  of  our  discourses  on  the  1st  Sabbath  of  November 
last,  a  number,  who  heard  the  discourse  at  that  time, 
have  since  requested  that  it  might  have  a  place  among 
the  lectures.     And 

2.  This  subject  seems  so  nearly  allied  to  our  last, 
that  it  is  thought  advisable  to  place  it  next  in  course, 
that  it  may  operate  in  some  measure  as  a  farther  illus- 
tration of  it. 

Our  text  gives  evident  support  to  the  following  par- 
ticular subjects : 

1.  There  is  righteousness  in  the  earth. 

2.  There  is  wickedness  in  the  earth. 

3.  There  is  a  sure  recompense  for  righteousness. 

4.  There  is  a  sure  recompense  for  wickedness. 

5.  The  recompense  of  righteousness  is  in  the  earth. 

6.  The  recompense  of  wickedness  is  in  the  earth. 
These  particulars  may  be  said  to  be  fully  proved  by 

ill'-  text  :  lor  there  can  be  none  righteous,  unless  there 
l><-  righteousness,  and  there  can  be  none  wicked,  unless 
there  !>•:  w'u  kedness;  nor  can  righteousness  be  recom- 
pensed  when  there  is  none,  nor  can  wickedness  be 
recompensed  where  it  docs  not  exist. 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  263 

The  hearer's  attention  is  now  invited  to  an  inquiry, 
which  will  be  directed  to  ascertain  how  to  make  a 
proper  distinction  between  the  righteous  and  the  wick- 
ed. The  way  in  which  this  subject  is  generally  held, 
supposes  that  there  is  one  class  of  men  who  are  exclu- 
sively righteous,  and  another  class  exclusively  wicked. 
Hence  we  hear  so  much  about  two  classes  of  mankind. 
Christian  preachers  and  commentators  have  filled  their 
sermons  and  their  volumes  with  lengthy  and  intricate 
descriptions  of  these  two  classes  of  people.  If  we  say 
any  thing  of  the  divine  favor  to  all  mankind,  if  we  ex- 
press the  least  hope  that.  God  will  have  compassion  on 
all  men,  if  wre  bring  plain  scripture  to  testify  and  say, 
"  The  Lord  is  good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies  are 
over  all  his  works,"  we  are  severely  rebuked  by  those 
who  call  themselves  righteous,  who  tell  us  that  the 
scriptures  every  where  make  two  classes  of  people,  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked. 

That  the  scriptures  speak  of  two  characters  is  freely 
acknowledged  ;  but  that  they  every  where  or  even  any 
where  give  support  to  the  notion  that,  one  class  of 
mankind  is  exclusively  righteous,  and  another  class  ex- 
clusively wicked  is  by  no  means  acknowledged. 

It  is  worthy  of  special  notice  that  the  testimony  of 
scripture  agrees  with  matter  of  fact.  For  instance, 
scripture  says  :  "  While  the  earth  remaineth,  seed  time 
and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and  win- 
ter, and  day  and  night,  shall  not  cease."  Now  the 
matter  of  fact  testified  by  the  passage  quoted,  perfect- 
ly agrees  with  what  we  know  by  experience  to  be 
true.  But  should  we  find  that  the  scriptures  any 
where  say,  that  while  the  earth  remaineth  there  shall 
be  a  certain  class  of  people,  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion that  shall  be  exclusively  righteous,  and  another 
class  exclusively  wicked,  could  we  say  that  this  is  evi- 
dently true  ?  could  we  say  that  these  two  classes  have 
always  been  as  distinguishable  as  seed  time  and  har- 
vest, as  cold  and  heat,  as  summer  and  winter,  and 
as  day  and  night  ? 

My  friends  look  round  you  :  do  you  know  who  these 
righteous  are  ?     Can  you  distinguish  this  righteous  clas* 


264  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

from  the  wicked  class  as  easily  as  you  can  distinguish 
day  from  night?  Who  are  they?  Are  they  that  com- 
pany of  meek,  humble  believers  in  Jesus,  who  pray  as 
the  divine  Master  taught  them ;  "  Our  Father  who 
art  in  heaven — forgive  us  our  sins  ? '  If  they  are 
not  sinners  why  do  they  pray  that  their  sins  may  be 
forgiven  ? 

On  the  other  hand,  who  are  the  wicked  ?  Are  they 
that  company  of  profane  sailors,  who  appear  so  care- 
less about  religion  ?  But  these  men,  of  all  grades  of 
society,  are  acknowledged  to  be  the  most  generous. 
They  will  impart  to  misery  the  last  dollar  of  the  scanty 
wages  for  which  they  have  risked  their  lives  on  the 
uncertain  deep,  while  the  wealthy  Christian,  who  goes 
to  the  sanctuary  in  splendor,  with  great  circumspec- 
tion, gives  to  poverty  a  shilling.  But  who  are  the 
wicked  ?  Are  they  such  as  make  no  profession  of 
religion,  have  subscribed  to  no  creed,  joined  no  church? 
But  where  are  these  men,  and  what  are  they  about 
when  their  neighbors  are  sick,  or  are  in  want,  or  are 
in  distress  ?  Are  they  then  carelessly  loitering  behind 
our  high  professors  of  religion,  who  are  administering 
all  needed  assistance  to  the  distressed  ?  Where  are 
they  when  the  devouring  -element  turns  women  and 
children  into  the  streets  ?  Do  they  idly  fold  their 
arms  and  look  on,  while  the  righteous  put  out  the  fire? 
What  do  these  wicked  people  do  when  their  country 
is  invaded  by  a  plundering  foe,  and  all  that  is  dear  to 
man  lies  at  stake  ?  Do  they  then  sleep  on  beds  of 
down,  while  the  saints  watch  in  the  camp  ?  The  fact 
is,  if  we  are  willing  to  acknowledge  the  truth,  there  is 
no  class  of  people  who  are  so  righteous  that  there  is  no 
need  of  reformation  ;  nor  is  there  a  class  that  is  in  no 
danger  of  growing  worse. 

We  find  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  in  the  same 
individual.  David  says  ;  "  Judge  me,  O  Lord,  accord- 
ing to  my  righteousness."  And  again  he  says  ;  "The 
Lord  rewardeth  me  according  to  my  righteousness.', 
But  with  what  humility  does  he  acknowledge  his  sin. 
He  says;  "  Wash  me  thoroughly  from  mine  iniquity, 
and  cleanse  me  from  my  sin.     For  I  acknowledge  my 


BALLOTS    LECTURES.  265 

transgression  and  my  sin  is  ever  before  me."  Yes,  in 
the  same  man,  and  at  the  same  time  we  find  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked,  "  him  that  serveth  God  and 
him  that  serveth  him  not."  St.  Paul  says  ;  "  With  the 
mind  I  myself  serve  the  law  of  God,  but  with  the  flesh 
the  law  of  sin." 

The  habit  which  professed  Christians  have  so  long 
indulged,  of  thinking  and  speaking  of  the  wicked,  as 
a  class  of  people  distinct  from  themselves  is  a  proof  of 
the  depravity  of  their  own  deceived  hearts.  The  pub- 
lican, who  dared  not  raise  his  eyes  toward  heaven,  but 
smote  his  breast,  saying.  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner, was  rather  justified  than  the  Pharisee,  who  thank- 
ed God  that  he  was  not  like  other  men. 

The  result  of  a  candid  examination  of  this  particu- 
lar subject  may  be  represented  by  health  and  sickness. 
And  as  this  representation  is  warranted  by  the  declar- 
ation of  the  Saviour  to  those  who  thought  they  were 
righteous  when  they  were  not,  it  may  be  the  more  ac- 
ceptable. Jesus  said,  "  They  that  are  whole  need 
not  the  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick."  Now 
health  and  sickness  are  so  directly  opposite,  that  there 
is  no  difficulty  in  distinguishing  one  from  the  other. 
But  there  are  many  cases  where  it  would  be  difficult 
to  determine  which  of  two  that  are  sick  is  the  most 
unwell.  And  we  may  further  observe,  that  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  a  class  of  people  who  are  exclusively 
healthy,  nor  a  class  that  is  exclusively  sickly.  Those, 
who  to-day  are  in  health,  may  be  sick  to-morrow;  and 
those  who  are  indisposed  to-day  may  be  restored  and 
enjoy  health  to-morrow.  Yes,  and  in  the  same  per- 
son, and  at  the  same  time,  we  may  find  a  degree  of 
health  and  a  degree  of  sickness.  Degrees  of  health 
and  sickness  may  increase  or  decrease,  and  the  sub- 
jects may  either  recover,  or  decline  and  die. 

Let  us  in  the  next  place  endeavor  to  ascertain  the 
nature  of  the  recompense  which  the  divine  economy 
awards  to  the  righteous,  and  what  it  is  designed  for. 

As  we  have  seen  that  there  are  different  degrees  in 
righteousness,  so  we  may  expect  to  find  that  rewards 
are  so  varied   as  to   correspond  with   these  different 
23 


266  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

degrees.  Again,  we  may  observe  that  in  some  things 
a  man  may  do  that  which  is  right,  and  receive  a  recom- 
pense accordingly;  on  the  other  hand,  the  same  man 
may  do  that  which  is  wrong  in  some  things  and  be 
recompensed  accordingly. 

The  whole  duty  of  man  is  embraced  in  two  divine 
requirements.  The  first  requires  us  to  love  God  with 
all  the  heart,  and  the  second,  being  like  unto  the  first, 
requires  us  to  love  our  neighbors  as  ourselves.  On 
these  two  commandments,. Jesus  says,  "hang  all  the 
law  and  the  prophets.".  N.o\v  as  far  as  any  person  loves 
God  so  far  is  he  recompensed,  and  no  farther.  And 
as  far  as  he  loves  his  neighbor  so  far  he  is  recompensed 
in  that  respect,  and  no  farther. 

But  what  is  the  recompense  which  the  soul  enjoys 
who  loves  God  ?  Answer,  it  is  God  himself.  "God 
is  love;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God, 
and  God  in  him."  In  an  exact  proportion  to  the  love 
which  the  heart  exercises  towards  God  is  it  recom- 
pensed with  this  richest  of  all  rewards.  There  is  no 
other  object,  on  which  the  affections  of  the  heart  can 
be  placed,  that  is  so  sure  of  returning  a  recompense, 
in  all  respects  equal  to  the  degree  of  love  which  is 
exercised. 

Companions  may  love  each  other  most  tenderly,  but 
by  unavoidable  circumstances  they  may  be  separated, 
so  as  to  render  their  affection  even  painful.  Again, 
there  may  be  love  to  creature  objects  where  no  return 
of  affection  is  received.  But  whoever  loves  God  can- 
not be  separated  from  him,  nor  can  he  ever  experience 
any  want  of  love  in  God.  The  soul  that  truly  loves 
the  divine  Being  is  blessed  with  the  presence  of  the 
object  of  affection.  There  is  no  place  nor  condition 
that  can  exclude  the  mind  from  this  enjoyment. 
Though  we  were  banished  from  the  society  of  man, 
if  we  loved  God  he  would  be  present  with  us  ;  would 
be  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life. 
How  often  do  we  sec  our  brethren  and  sisters  in  the 
hour  of  death,  rejoicing  in  a  present  Saviour,  and 
cheerfully  resign  life  and  all  earthly  things  for  the 
enjoyment  of  (rod. 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  267 

What  is  this  rich  recompense  designed  for  in  the 
divine  economy  ?  It  is  designed  for  the  only  end  that 
divine  love  can  possibly  have  in  view.  It  is  to  pro- 
mote love  and  enlarge  its  enjoyments  in  the  soul  that 
is  exercised  by  it. 

As  there  are  secondary  cases  in  which  righteousness 
manifests  itself,  so  there  are  secondary  recompenses 
corresponding  with  them.  As  consequences  growing 
out  of  love  to  God,  we  notice  those  virtuous  actions, 
and  propriety  of  conduct,  which  are  attended  with 
effects  which  sufficiently  recompense  and  amply  bless 
the  agent  in  his  deeds.  Whoever  loves  God,  will  love 
truth  ;  he  will  love  honesty  ;  he  will  love  justice  ;  he 
will  love  mercy  ;  he  will  love  wisdom  and  knowledge. 
Now  as  he  loves  these  things,  he  will  speak  the  truth; 
he  will  be  honest ;  he  will  do  justly  ;  he  will  be  mer- 
ciful ;  he  will  endeavor  to  acquire  wisdom  and  know- 
ledge, and  he  will  consider  all  these  things  as  durable 
riches  and  righteousness. 

Now  as  these  virtues  are  all  calculated  to  reward  us 
for  all  our  exertions  in  their  principles,  so  it  is  evident 
that  our  recompenses  must  be  according  to  our  merits. 
Accordingly  as  a  man  loves  the  truth,  and  speaks  the 
truth,  he  enjoys  the  divine  sunshine  in  his  breast ;  and 
in  addition  to  this  sure  and  ample  reward,  he  generally 
is  believed  by  others,  and  confidence  is  placed  in  his 
word.  In  the  same  proportion  as  a  man  is  honest  in 
what  he  does,  he  has  the  enjoyment  of  his  own  con- 
science, which  is  a  treasure  that  the  honest  man  prizes 
far  above  silver  or  gold.  And  in  addition  to  all  this 
he  has  the  satisfaction  of  being  esteemed  by  others  for 
his  honesty,  which  is  worthy  of  high  estimation. 

Those  who  do  justly,  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly 
with  God,  who  seek  for  wisdom  as  for  hidden  treasures, 
and  find  out  knowledge  of  witty  inventions,  enjoy  a 
constant  income  of  moral  and  intellectual  wealth, 
which  is  far  richer  than  the  revenue  of  silver,  or  the 
merchandise  of  the  most  precious  spices. 

The  design  of  these  rich  rewards,  in  the  economy 
of  the  divine  government,  is  to  induce  moral  beings 
to  labor  with  all  possible  diligence  to  perfect  them- 
selves in  the  love  of  God. 


268  BALLOU  8     LECTURES. 

We  may  now  ask  what  recompense  the  divine 
government  is  pleased  to  render  to  the  wicked,  and 
what  is  the  design  of  such  a  recompense. 

As  wickedness  is  exactly  the  reverse  of  righteous- 
ness, so  the  recompense  of  the  former  must  be  the 
reverse  of  that  of  the  latter. 

If  we  have  no  love  to  God  we  cannot  enjoy  him. 
The  thought  that  he  exists  and  exercises  universal 
dominion,  and  controls  all  things  by  his  almighty 
power  is  a  source  of  infelicity.  The  soul,  in  room  of 
being  refreshed  with  the  sweet  waters  of  life,  is  suf 
fused  with  anger,  wrath,  strife,  and  bitterness.  In  the 
room  of  peace,  there  is  trouble.  "  The  wicked  are 
like  the  troubled  sea,  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose 
waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt.  There  is  no  peace, 
saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked." 

Such  is  the  establishment  of  moral  rectitude  in  the 
human  soul,  by  the  hand  of  our  Maker,  that  our  rea- 
son is  compelled  to  acknowledge  the  dignity  of  divine 
justice,  the  purity  of  all  the  virtues,  and  the  excellency 
of  righteousness.  But  where  the  affections  of  the  heart 
are  not  devoted  to  these  holy  qualities,  the  soul  is  for- 
ever under  condemnation.  Self-accusation  and  self- 
reproach  gnaw  like  the  vulture  within. 

In  an  exact  proportion  to  the  distance  the  soul  is  in, 
from  that  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor,  which  is  the 
fulness  of  the  divine  requirement,  is  measured  the 
recompense  due  to  the  sinner.  There  is  tribulation 
and  anguish  to  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil ;  and 
this  tribulation  and  anguish  are  in  proportion  to  the 
evil  for  which  they  are  a  recompense. 

But  why  should  the  divine  government  so  ordain, 
that  sm  should  be  recompensed  with  so  much  misery? 
Why  does  it  not  please  God  to  administer  comfort, 
peace,  and  joy,  to  the  sinner,  in  his  sins?  What  is 
the  design  of  the  divine  economy  in  this  thing? 

W  e  may  find  a  solution  of  these  queries  in  our  si- 
militude of  health  and  sickness.  Health  is  the  reward 
of  tliat  kind  of  food,  which  is  nourishment  to  the  body, 
ol  that  temperance  and  exercise  which  our  nature 
requires;  while  food  that  is  unwholesome,  or  that  is 


BALLOU's    LECTURES.  269 

rendered  injurious  by  art,  together  with  intemperance, 
and  the  want  of  proper  exeicise,  are  recompensed  with 
those  natural  disorders  with  which  the  human  body  is 
afflicted.  It  is  necessarily  so  in  the  nature  of  things. 
It  seems  impossible  that  it  should  be  otherwise.  And 
it  is  the  certainty  of  these  consequences,  which  induces 
the  prudent  to  abstain  from  intemperance  and  idleness. 

The  evil  consequences  resulting  from  wrong  practi- 
ces are  designed,  by  divine  wisdom,  for  the  same  be- 
nevolent purpose  as  the  good  effects  which  are  the 
recompense  of  doing  well.  When  we  do  well  we  en- 
joy the  pleasant  fruits  of  righteousness,  and  this  enjoy- 
ment operates  as  an  inducement  to  continue  in  well 
doing.  On  the  contrary,  when  we  do  wrong  we  suffer 
the  recompense  of  our  error,  and  this  suffering  is 
wisely  appointed  as  a  mean  to  wean  us  from  that  im- 
proper indulgence  of  inordinate  appetites  and  passions 
in  consequence  of  which  we  suffer,  and  to  warn  us  to 
take  heed  to  our  ways.  The  prophet  Jeremiah,  speak- 
ing to  the  wicked,  seems  to  express  this  idea  with  great 
plainness.  He  says  ;  "  Thine  own  wickedness  shall 
correct  thee,  and  thy  backslidings  shall  reprove  thee." 

In  our  reasoning  on  the  subjects  of  the  recompens- 
ing of  the  righteous,  and  of  rendering  to  the  wicked 
according  to  their  works,  attention  has  been  paid  more 
to  what  we  may  term  the  internal  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness and  sin,  than  to  outward  blessings  and  calamities 
with  which  divine  Providence  has  in  all  ages  of  the 
world  expressed  his  approbation  of  righteousness,  and 
his  disapprobation  of  sin.  We  shall  now  contemplate 
the  subject  more  generally,  noticing  some  of  the  divine 
promises  and  threatenings,  connecting  the  subject  with 
the  consideration  of  that  part  of  the  testimony  of  our 
text  which  informs  us,  that  the  recompense  of  both  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked  is  in  the  earth. 

It  may  be  proper,  before  we  proceed  further,  to  ap- 
prise the  hearer,  that  the  arguments  which  are  to  fol- 
low will  be  found  directed  to  disprove  the  common 
doctrine,  which  teaches  that  those  who  are  righteous 
in  this  state  of  existence,  will  be  recompensed  for  their 
righteousness  with  immortality  and  eternal  life  in  the 
^:3* 


270  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

future  state ;  and  that  those  who  are  sinners  in  this 
life  will  be  recompensed  with  endless  perdition  hereaf- 
ter. This  we  feel  fully  authorised  to  undertake  by 
the  divine  authority  expressed  in  many  more  passages 
than  can  be  cited  in  one  sermon ;  this  authority  is 
evidently  expressed  in  our  text,  in  that  it  certifies  us 
that  both  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  shall  be  re- 
compensed in  the  earth  ;  for  it  surely  seems  unreason- 
able to  suppose,  that  they  are  recompensed  here  in  the 
earth,  and  after  this  recompensed  to  all  eternity.  In 
fact  this  idea  is  a  most  palpable  absurdity ;  for  any 
thing  short  of  deserts  is  not  a  recompense  ;  nor  can 
that  which  is  more  than  deserts  be  called  a  recompense. 

With  a  view  to  bring  this  general  subject  before  the 
hearer  in  as  plain  a  manner  as  is  convenient,  let  a  few 
questions  be  asked,  and  let  reason  and  experience  an- 
swer them. 

1.  In  a  state  like  this,  in  which  we  are  possessed  of 
inclinations,  passions,  and  appetites,  which,  if  not 
properly  chastened,  duly  restrained,  and  wisely  gov- 
erned, will  most  assuredly  lead  us  into  sin,  in  order  to 
influence  the  mind,  and  bring  its  fortitude  into  proper 
action,  and  the  inclinations  into  the  right  channel  by 
the  hope  of  a  favorable  recompense,  it  is  best  to  place 
this  recompense  in  this  present  life,  or  in  a  future 
state?  Professors  of  religion  in  general,  and  even 
preachers  contend,  that  unless  the  recompense  for  well 
doing  is  in  a  future  state,  virtue  is  not  worth  pursuing, 
as  there  is  not  in  virtue  itself  and  in  its  good  conse- 
quences in  this  life  a  sufficient  reward  for  its  duties. 
The  question  now  before  us  inquires  whether  it  would 
not  better  secure  the  object  to  have  the  recompense  in 
this  life  ?  In  favor  of  its  being  here  may  be  urged, 
that  all  objects  that  are  calculated  to  influence  the  hu- 
man mind,  have  their  powers  increased  by  their  prox- 
imity to  us,  and  diminished  as  they  are  placed  more 
remote.  Man  is  so  constituted  that,  he  thinks  more  of 
his  present  necessities  than  he  docs  of  what  he  may 
want  in  some  future  time. 

If  you  wish  to  hire  laborers  into  your  service,  you 
can  more  readily  obtain  them  by  promising  them  their 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  271 

pay  every  setting  sun,  than  if  you  propose  paying 
them  ten  or  twenty  years  hence.  If  your  neighbor, 
or  even  your  minister  should  tell  you,  that  if  you  wish 
to  obtain  faithful  laborers,  you  must  by  no  means 
promise  them  immediate  pay,  but  promise  it  as  long 
hence  as  will  possibly  suit  your  conveniences  ;  and 
furthermore,  you  must  be  careful  when  they  are  labor- 
ing for  you,  to  allow  them  as  little  refreshment  and 
rest  as  possibly  will  keep  them  alive,  or  they  will  leave 
you,  would  you  think  the  advice  was  any  evidence  of 
the  wisdom  and  experience  of  him  who  gave  it?  No, 
you  would  not.  And  though  you  might  possibly  think 
your  adviser  meant  well,  being  ignorant,  you  would 
not  follow  the  advice. 

Why  then,  my  friends,  should  we  believe,  that  di- 
vine wisdom,  with  an  intention  to  engage  us  in  the 
service  of  virtue,  should  place  its  reward  in  a  future 
state  of  existence,  in  a  world  we  know  nothing  of,  from 
which  no  traveller  ever  returned  ? — Why  should  we 
believe,  that  the  wisdom  of  God,  with  a  design  to 
make  us  faithful  in  his  service,  should  carefully  make 
this  service  extremely  toilsome,  and  allow  us  no  rest 
nor  refreshment  that  is  comfortable  during  our  labors? 

2.  With  a  view  to  operate  on  the  mind  by  fear,  and 
to  restrain  the  passions  by  apprehensions  of  danger, 
where  would  wisdom  place  the  dreaded  object  ?  in  this 
life,  or  in  a  future  state  ? 

In  favor  of  its  being  here,  and  before  our  eyes,  may 
be  urged,  that  any  terrific  object  has  a  greater  influ- 
ence on  the  mind  being  near  and  visible,  than  when 
remote  and  invisible.  Even  a  coward  will  boast  of  his 
courage,  and  will  dare  the  foe,  while  he  lies  at  a  dis- 
tance and  out  of  sight,  but  when  the  hostile  band  pie- 
sents  the  glittering  armory  that  dazzles  his  eyes,  his 
weak  heart  melts  like  wax  before  the  sun.  Why  then 
should  terror  be  placed  at  a  distance  and  out  of  sight 
in  order  to  have  the  greatest  effect  on  the  mind?  If  it 
be  necessary  to  excite  our  fear,  that  we  believe  in  the 
common  doctrine  of  a  burning  lake  in  a  future  state, 
would  it  not  add  an  incalculable  influence  to  the  ob- 
ject if  our  terrific  preachers  could  draw  away  the  cur- 


272  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

tain  and  present  the  horrible  scene  to  our  open  vision? 
As  they  take  great  satisfaction  in  describing  to  the  im- 
agination of  parents  their  children  in  hell,  would  not 
the  elfect  be  still  more  powerful  if  the  eye  could  be- 
hold the  fiery  pit,  and  see  the  beloved  children  in  the 
flames?  But  all  this  must  be  carried  on  in  a  secret 
place,  out  of  sight  of  all  the  living ;  and  none  to  re- 
port it  to  us,  only  those  who  know  nothing  about  it. 

3.  Is  it  not  a  most  evident  fact,  that  for  temporal 
enjoyments,  enjoyments  of  this  life,  men  will  exert 
their  utmost  powers,  face  the  greatest  dangers,  and 
surmount  all  surmountable  difficulties  ?  For  these  en- 
joyments the  husbandman  labors  from  early  morn  until 
the  shades  of  night  cover  him.  And  this  he  repeats 
day  after  day,  week  after  week,  month  after  month, 
year  after  year,  until  he  wears  out  his  strength  and  his 
days.  Ask  him  why  he  thus  toils;  will  he  inform  you, 
either  that  he  expects  an  immortal  state  of  bliss  hereaf- 
ter as  a  reward ;  or  that  he  fears  eternal  torments  if  he 
should  quit  his  field  ?  No,  he  will  point  to  his  wife 
and  to  his  children,  and  say  ;  it  is  lor  them  I  labor, 
for  them  I  toil,  and  the  love  I  bear  them  makes  my  la- 
bor easy  and  my  burden  light ;  yea  it  is  a  pleasure,  and 
content  is  my  companion. 

Does  not  the  mariner  risk  his  life  on  the  seas,  does 
he  not  encounter  the  most  inclement  weather,  put  his 
face  to  the  violence  of  the  stcrm,  for  the  sake  of  the 
comforts  and  luxuries  of  life  ?  For  the  enjoyments  of 
this  temporal  state,  we  see  the  warrior,  far  from  his 
family,  encountering  the  fatigues  of  marches  and  coun- 
ter-marches ;  lying  upon  the  cold  damp  earth ;  his 
food  coarse  and  often  loathsome,  and  when  the  hour 
of  perilous  danger  arrives,  and  he  is  summoned  to  the 
charge,  does  he  now  expect  immortality  and  eternal 
life  if  he  fights,  and  does  he  dread  endless  damnation 
if  he  refuses?  No,  these  are  not  the  motives  which 
stimulate  him  to  set  his  face  to  danger  and  his  breast 
to  the  battle.  The  defence  of  his  country,  the  defence 
of  his  wife  and  children,  and  his  honor  as  a  soldier 
are  motives  sufficient.  Why  then,  my  friends,  are  we 
told  that  no  rewards  in  this  life  arc  sufficient  to  excite 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  273 

us  to  religion  and  virtue  ?  Why  are  we  told  the  pitiful 
story,  that  nothing  short  of  the  hope  of  endless  hap- 
piness hereafter,  and  the  dread  of  everlasting  damna- 
tion in  the  world  to  come,  are  sufficient  incentives  to 
move  men  to  subscribe  to  a  creed  which  men  have 
invented,  and  a  covenant  written  by  a  clergyman,  join 
a  communion,  and  make  a  few  prayers  which  he  learns 
by  heart,  and  go  to  meeting  on  the  Sabbath  ? 

4.  Since  the  doctrine  of  endless  rewards  and  pun- 
ishments has  been  advocated  and  preached  by  the 
christian  clergy,  and  the  anathemas  of  eternal  con- 
demnation held  up  on  every  Sabbath-day ;  and  since 
all  classes  of  people  have  been  habituated  in  such  a 
belief,  has  it  all  together  had  the  desired  effect?  Has 
it  made  men  in  reality  any  better  ?  If  we  place  the 
least  confidence  in  the  most  authentic  histories,  and  if 
we  allow  experience  to  judge  in  this  case  the  matter  is 
plain,  that  a  spirit  of  the  most  violent  persecution  has 
always  accompanied  this  doctrine,  and  the  most  shock- 
ing outrages  on  humanity  have  marked  its  progress. 

5.  Let  us  ask  now,  where  true  wisdom  lies,  and 
where  her  peaceful  path  is  to  be  found  ?  We  find  the 
answer  in  the  words  of  Jesus,  who  said ;  "  Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of 
me ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart :  and  ye  shall 
find  rest  unto  your  soul.  For  my  yoke  is  easy  and  my 
burden  is  light."  By  these  precious  words  we  learn 
that  the  Saviour  endeavored  to  persuade  men  into  his 
service  by  assuring  them  that  his  service  was  easy,  and 
that  he  imposed  no  burdens  but  light  ones.  He  com- 
pares his  religion  with  its  opposite,  as  an  easy  service 
to  one  that  is  hard ;  as  rest  to  fatigue. 

As  long  as  we  are  persuaded  to  believe  that  the  way 
of  righteousness  is  a  hard  way,  that  it  is  attended  with 
constant  trouble,  that  few  or  no  enjoyments  are  found 
in  obedience  to  its  requirements,  all  the  promises 
which  the  preacher  holds  up  of  bliss  in  a  future  world, 
will  never  induce  us  to  travel  the  hated  road.  On  the 
contrary,  as  long  as  we  are  told  that  sin  and  wicked- 
ness are  attended  with  ease,    pleasure,   delight,  and 


274  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

perpetual  gratification  and  satisfaction,  and  as  long  as 
we  believe  this  worst  of  all  deceptions,  so  long  we 
shall  live  in  sin,  notwithstanding  we  may  be  told  of  the 
most  horrid  torments  in  a  future  world  as  a  recom- 
pense therefor. 

Man  loves  happiness  and  hates  misery,  and  this 
love  and  hatred  are  the  only  inducements  which  move 
him  to  action.  Let  us  realize  then  that  righteousness 
will  make  us  happy  in  the  present  life,  and  that  sin 
will  make  us  miserable  here  on  the  earth,  and  let  us 
constantly  withstand  the  testimony  of  our  preachers, 
and  the  temptations  of  the  flesh  to  the  contrary,  and 
we  shall  live  as  the  grace  of  God  teaches,  by  denying 
ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  by  living  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world. 

It  is  worthy  of  special  regard,  that  the  divine  prom- 
ises and  threatenings  recorded  by  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  with  which  God  was  pleased  to  signify  his 
approbation  of  righteousness,  and  his  disapprobation 
of  sin,  relate  to  blessings  and  punishments  which  have 
been  enjoyed  and  suffered  by  the  house  of  Israel  in 
the  earth. 

For  their  encouragement  the  Lord  promised  them 
all  manner  of  temporal  blessings ;  and  as  a  terror  he 
threatened  them  with  all  manner  of  temporal  calami- 
ties. And  while  they  walked  in  the  statutes  of  the 
Lord,  and  did  his  judgments  these  promises  were  faith- 
fully fulfilled.  The  people  multiplied  greatly  and 
abounded  in  all  the  rich  blessings  of  life,  of  health  and 
peace.  But  when  they  rebelled  and  walked  in  the 
way  of  sin,  they  were  visited  with  all  the  plagues, 
judgments,  and  calamities  with  which  they  had  been 
threatened.  No  people  ever  varied  their  character 
more  than  have  the  Jews.  At  times  they  were  the 
most  upright,  the  most  pious,  the  most  virtuous  of  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  and  then  they  were  blessed 
above  all  people  in  the  world.  At  other  times  they 
have  been  the  most  perverse;  have  so  forsaken  the 
true  God,  as  to  cany  idolatry  to  its  extremes,  have 
practiced  violence  and  oppression,  by  which  they  be- 
came a  prey  to  their  enemies,  and  were  carried  into 


BALLOu's    LECTURES.  275 

captivities,  and  punished  with  all  the  sore  judgments 
which  were  written  in  their  law  or  denounced  by  their 
prophets.  And  as  no  people  have  ever  been  more 
wicked,  so  none  have  been  more  punished  than  they. 

The  judgments  which  our  Saviour  denounced  on 
vne  Jews  were  the  same  of  which  we  read  in  the  26th 
of  Leviticus  and  other  writings  of  Moses,  in  the  Lam- 
entations of  Jeremiah  and  the  other  writings  of  this 
and  the  rest  of  the  prophets.  And  it  is  directly  to  our 
argument  to  observe  that  all  these  calamities  have  come 
on  that  people  ;  and  that  we  have  no  more  authority 
for  applying  either  the  promises  for  obedience,  or  the 
threaten'mgs  for  disobedience  to  a  future  state,  than 
we  have  for  believing  that  the  Jews,  for  their  obedience 
in  this  world,  will  be  blessed  in  the  future  state  in  the 
quiet  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan  :  and  for  their 
disobedience  will  be  visited  with  sickness  and  be  car- 
ried away  into  captivity  by  their  enemies. 

To  conclude.  Let  us,  my  friends,  open  our  eyes  on 
the  certain  consequences  with  which  our  heavenly 
Father  rewards  the  obedient  here  in  the  earth.  Let 
us  regard  that  calm  sunshine  of  peace  within,  which 
we  are  sure  to  enjoy  as  the  reward  of  well  doing.  Let 
us  endeavor  to  estimate  in  a  proper  manner  the  rich 
inheritance  which  is  the  certain  lot  of  those  who  keep 
the  commandments  of  God. 

J^et  us  look  round  us,  and  see  if  prisons,  dungeons, 
and  gallows  are  not  a  sufficient  argument  to  prove, 
that  the  wicked  are  recompensed  in  the  earth.  And 
if  this  sad  scene  be  not  sufficient,  go  draw  the  veil 
from  still  greater  horrors,  where  intemperance  and  un- 
cleanness  exhibit  the  warning  spectacle  of  degraded 
humanity.  Beloved  youth,  look,  these  terrors  are  no 
fictions  ;  they  are  awful  realities  !  Your  feet  stand 
in  slippery  places !  O  put  on  the  whole  armor  of 
righteousness  that  ye  may  be  able  to  stand  in  the  evil 
day;  and  pray  most  fervently  that  you  may  not  be  led 
into  temptation,  but  that  you  may  be  delivered  from 
evil. 


LECTURE    XX. 

DIVINE    GOODNESS    IN    THE    DESTRUCTION    OF    THE 
SODOMITES    AND    OTHER    SINNERS. 

EZEKIEL  xvi.  last  of  50. 

Therefore  I  took  them  away  as  1  saw  good. 

The  spirit  of  divine  truth,  addressing  Jerusalem  by 
the  prophet,  informed  her  that  she  was  more  corrupted 
in  her  ways  than  her  sisters,  Samaria  and  her  daugh- 
ters, or  Sodom  and  her  daughters.  The  words  of  the 
prophet  are  these;  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God, 
Sodom  thy  sister  hath  not  done,  she  nor  her  daugh- 
ters, as  thou  hast  done,  thou  and  thy  daughters.  Be- 
hold this  was  the  iniquity  of  thy  sister  Sodom,  pride, 
fulness  of  bread,  and  abundance  of  idleness,  was  in  her 
and  in  her  daughters,  neither  did  she  strengthen  the 
hands  of  the  poor  and  needy.  And  they  were  haugh- 
ty, and  committed  abomination  before  me ;  therefore  I 
took  them  away  as  I  saw  good." 

The  destruction  of  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  is  the 
subject  of  our  text,  and  that  to  which  the  most  cau- 
tious attention  of  this  christian  audience  is  now  most 
earnestly  solicited. 

By  those  who  believe  and  preach  the  "  heart-chilling 
doctrine "  of  endless  torment,  the  destruction  of 
Sodom  is  constantly  adverted  to  as  an  evident  proof 
of  this  tenet,  and  an  instance  of  its  positive  reality. 

Now  as  it  is  one  of  the  objects  of  this  course  of  lec- 
tures, to  disprove  the  doctrine  here  mentioned,  and  to 
show,  that  the  divine  testimony  which  its  advocates  ap- 
ply as  proof  of  this  tenet  gives  it  no  support,  it  is 
thought  expedient  to  show  that  we  have  no  evidence 
to  believe  that  the   Sodomites  are  an   instance  of  an 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  277 

endless  state  of  misery.  And  as  several  other  instan- 
ces of  the  destruction  of  the  wicked  are  generally  used 
for  the  same  end  as  this  of  the  destruction  of  Sodom, 
notice  will  be  taken  of  a  number  of  them  in  the  pres- 
ent discourse,  in  a  way  to  show  that  they  afford  no 
evidence  in  support  of  the  doctrine,  in  favor  of  which 
they  are  perpetually  employed  by  our  terrific  preach- 
ers. 

The  first  question  which  we  shall  attempt  to  exam- 
ine is,  whether  the  scriptures,  which  speak  of  the  de- 
struction of  Sodom,  give  any  account  of  the  endless 
misery  of  those  people  who  died  in  that  destruction? 

We  are  informed  in  the  18th  and  19th  chapters  of 
Genesis,  that,  on  account  of  the  grievous  sin  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah,  "  the  Lord  rained  upon  Sodom  and 
upon  Gomorrah,  brimstone  and  fire  from  the  Lord  out 
of  heaven.  And  he  overthrew  those  cities  and  all  the 
plain,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  cities,  and  that 
which  grew  upon  the  ground." 

This  is  the  account  which  we  have  in  Genesis  of  the 
destruction  of  the  Sodomites.  But  we  find  no  men- 
tion made  of  their  being  consigned  to  a  state  of  torment 
after  their  temporal  destruction. 

Here  let  us  bring  our  subject  into  the  light  by  the 
following  queries. 

1.  Of  the  two  events,  the  temporal  destruction  of 
the  Sodomites  and  their  being  consigned  to  a  state  of 
unspeakable  torment  in  the  invisible  and  eternal  world, 
which  is  the  greatest  ?  Every  one  will  acknowledge 
at  once,  that  the  last  mentioned  of  these  events  is  in- 
finitely greater  than  the  first.  Indeed,  those  who  be- 
lieve and  hold  forth  the  idea  of  the  endless  misery  of 
the  wicked  hereafter,  always  inform  us,  that  all  the 
sufferings  of  this  mortal  state  are  nothing  compared 
with  the  sufferings  of  the  miserable  in  the  eternal 
world. 

2.  Why,  allowing  the  common  opinion  of  the  mise- 
rable state  of  the  Sodomites  in  the  invisible  world,  is 
there  a  particular  account  given  of  their  temporal  de- 
struction, and  yet  not  a  word  about  this  everlasting 
torment  in  the  future  state,  which  is  a  subject  infinite- 

24 


278  BALLOU'S    LECTUKES. 

lv  greater  ?  To  illustrate  the  nature  of  this  question, 
we  will  suppose,  that  we  have  an  account  in  our  news- 
papers of  a  fire  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  that  burnt 
several  ware-houses  and  consumed  considerable  prop- 
erty. This  account  falls  into  the  hands  of  our  chris- 
tian preachers,  and  they  come  forward  in  public  and 
state  a  most  lamentable  account  of  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  the  city  of  Philadelphia  by  fire.  They  set 
forth,  in  the  most  moving  language  the  awful  sufferings 
of  the  wretched  inhabitants  of  that  city,  not  one  of 
which  were  able  to  make  their  escape  from  the  de- 
vouring flames  !  They  even  go  so  far  as  to  inform  us 
of  certain  manifestations  of  the  tender  sympathies  of 
husbands  and  wives,  parents  and  children,  brothers 
and  sisters  in  the  last  sad  moments  of  their  dreadful 
destruction.  After  the  peace  of  the  whole  town  should 
be  thus  trifled  with  for  some  time,  and  all  our  hearts 
had  been  wrung  with  the  keenest  sorrow  for  the  as- 
tonishing sufferings  of  our  fellow  mortals,  some  of  us 
should  ask  our  preachers  how  they  were  informed  of 
the  sorrowful  news  of  the  destruction  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Philadelphia? — They  in  a  very  careless  indifferent 
manner,  after  a  few  civilities,  inform  us  that  we  have 
had  the  account  in  the  public  papers  ;  and  ask  us  if 
we  have  not  seen  the  account  of  the  burning  of  those 
ware-houses  and  all  the  goods  there  were  in  them  ? — 
What  should  we  think  in  such  a  case  ?  Should  we 
not  allow  ourselves  to  query  whether  these  good  teach- 
ers had  not  made  some  mistake  ?  or  exaggerated  in  a 
most  unwarranted  degree  the  account  given  in  the  pa- 
pers ?  You  will  all  agree  that  no  excuse  could  possi- 
bly palliate  for  such  a  breach  of  our  peace,  except  it 
could  be  proved  that  our  teachers,  who  had  thus  trou- 
bled our  souls,  were  actuated  by  a  delirium.  But  my 
friends,  even  this  comparison  falls  infinitely  short  of 
the  subject  under  consideration.  There  is  not  so 
great  a  disproportion  between  the  supposed  account 
of  the  fire  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  exaggeration  of  this 
account,  which  we  have  supposed,  as  there  is  between 
the  account  recorded  in  Genesis  of  the  destruction  of 
the  Sodomites,  and  the  exaggerations  by  which  thou- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  279 

sands  have  been  led  to  believe  that  those  who  were 
there  destroyed,  were  consigned  to  a  state  of  intermi- 
nable misery.  The  question  before  you  is  like  this; 
Would  the  public  prints  notice,  in  a  particular  man- 
ner, the  burning  of  a  few  ware-houses  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  but  say  nothing  of  the  burning  of  the 
whole  city,  inhabitants  and  all? 

3.  As  it  is  acknowledged  by  all,  who  reason  well  on 
the  relation  between  testimony  and  facts,  and  the  le- 
gitimate powers  of  the  former  to  establish  the  latter, 
that  extraordinary  and  naturally  incredible  events  re- 
quire a  strength  of  testimony  and  a  clearness  of  evi- 
dence which  correspond  with  the  extraordinary  char- 
acter of  what  is  to  be  proved,  is  it  not  our  indispensa- 
ble duty,  and  what  we  owe  to  ourselves  and  to  the 
cause  of  truth,  to  ask  our  divines,  who  insist  on  the 
endless  misery  of  the  Sodomites,  to  produce  evidence 
of  this  fact,  the  force  and  clearness  of  which  are  equal 
to  the  extraordinary  character  of  this  supposed  fact? 

That  this  supposed  fact  is  naturally  incredible  ap- 
pears most  evident  by  comparing  it  with  the  manifest 
character  of  the  divine  Being.  God  is  a  being  of  infi- 
nite wisdom,  power,  and  goodness. 

We  may  suppose,  that  if  God  were  infinitely  wise, 
and  infinitely  powerful,  but  entirely  destitute  of  good- 
ness, he  might  contrive  a  scheme  of  infinite  cruelty, 
and  carry  the  same  into  effect;  but  if  he  possess  as 
much  goodness  as  he  does  wisdom  and  power,  it  is 
palpably  absurd  to  believe  that  he  is  the  author  of  any 
being  to  whom  he  is  not  good  ;  and  it  is  equally  ab 
surd  to  say  that  God  is  good  to  the  Sodomites  if  they- 
are  consigned  to  a  state  of  infinite  misery. 

That  our  heavenly  Father  was  good  and  bountiful 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  in  their  mortal  state  is  evi- 
dent from  our  context,  in  which  we  are  informed  of 
the  idleness  of  the  people,  their  fulness  of  bread,  and 
their  criminal  neglect  of  the  poor  and  needy.  These 
accusations  fully  show  that  they  were  guilty  of  abusing 
the  goodness  of  divine  Providence ;  by  which  it  is 
clear  that  God  was  good  to  them.  Now  as  it  cannot 
be    denied  that  r>ur   heavenly   Fat'ier  was  good  and 


280  BALLOTj's    LECTURES. 

bountiful  to  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  in  their  mortal 
state,  is  it  consistent  for  us  to  believe  that  he  is  not 
good  to  them  in  the  eternal  world,  if  he  there  con- 
tinues their  existence  ?  Where  is  the  evidence  that 
he,  who  alone  can  create,  and  preserve  the  existence 
of  rational  beings,  ever  does  this  to  the  damage  of  his 
creatures  ? 

The  plain  truth  is  this  ;  in  room  of  having  such 
clear  and  positive  evidence  in  support  of  this  common 
notion  of  the  endless  misery  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Sodom,  as  reason  would  require,  there  is  not  the  most 
distant  hint  of  any  such  thing,  in  the  account  recorded 
in  Genesis. 

There  is  a  passage  in   the  epistle  of  Jude,  which 
speaks  of  Sodom   and  Gomorrah  as  follows;  "  Even 
as  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and   the  cities  about  them 
in  like  manner  giving  themselves  over  to  fornication, 
and  going  after  strange  flesh,  are  set  forth  for  an  exam- 
ple,   suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal   fire."     This 
passage  is  frequently  cited  to  prove  that  the  eternal 
state  of  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  is 
miserable.     Let  us  examine  the  passage  and  see  if  it 
afford    any  such  conclusion.     The    words,   "  are  set 
forth  for  an  example,  suffering  the  vengeance  of  eter- 
nal fire,"  are  supposed  to  support  the  opinion  in   dis- 
pute.    In  order  to  show  that  these  words  have  no  such 
meaning,  we  will  notice   two  passages  where   St.  Paul 
uses   the    words,    "set  forth."     See  Romans  iii.  25. 
"  Whom    God  hath    set   forth    to    be   a     propitiation 
through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness 
for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the 
forbearance  of  God."     1.  Cor.   iv.  9.     "For  I  think 
that    God  hath  set  forth   us  the  Apostles  last,  as  it 
were  appointed  to  death  :  for  we  are  made  a  spectacle 
unto  the  world,  and   to  angels,  and   unto  men."     In 
both  these  passages,  the  words  'set  forth"  evidently 
mean    a    most   open  and  clear  manifestation   of  that 
which  was  "  sot  forth."      But   who   will  pretend   that 
the  eternal  torments  of  the  Sodomites,  in  the  burning 
lake  of  the  invisible  world,  are  set  forth  for  an  exam- 
ple ? 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  281 

When  God  "  set  forth  "  his  dear  Son  for  a  propitia- 
tion of  our  sins,  thousands  of  witnessing  eyes  beheld 
him  and  saw  his  miracles  of  mercy  ;  thousands  of  ears 
heard  the  gracious  words  which  he  spake,  and  thou- 
sands felt  the  life  giving,  and  health  restoring  power  of 
the  Saviour.  His  whole  process  from  his  birth  to  his 
ascension  was  attested  by  many  witnesses,  who  could 
not  have  made  any  material  mistake  respecting  the 
subject  of  their  testimony.  But  have  we  the  testimony 
of  a  single  individual,  who  has  seen  the  Sodomites  in 
torment  since  their  destruction,  or  heard  their  groans? 
It  is  true,  and  it  is  spoken  with  regret,  that  our  ter- 
rific preachers  speak  on  this  subject,  with  as  much 
seeming  assurance,  and  in  terms  as  positive  as  does 
the  historian  who  relates  an  account  of  which  he  is  an 
eye  witness. 

The   Apostles  were  "  set  forth  ; "  and  being  "  set 
forth,"  were  a  spectacle  unto  the  world,  and   to  an- 
gels, and   to  men ;  and   Sodom  and   Gomorrah   were 
set  forth  for  an  example;  "  but  who   were  the  specta- 
tors ?     Who  were  the  witnesses  ?     Have  angels  and 
men  seen  them  in  the  torments  of  the  invisible  world  ? 
No,  there  is  no  such  thing;  but  we  are  informed,  by 
the  divine  historian,  that  "  Abraham  gat  up  early  in 
the  morning  to  the  place  where  he  stood  before  the 
Lord.     And  he  looked  towards  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah, and  toward  ail  the  land  of  the  plain,  and  lo,  the 
smoke  of  the  country  went  up  as  the  smoke  of  a  fur- 
nace."    There  can  be   no  reasonable   doubt  that  the 
destruction  of  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  and  the  Cities 
of  the  plain  was,   "  set   forth  "   before  the  eyes  of  all 
the  inhabitants  of  "the  surrounding  country:  and  there 
can  be  no  doubt  but  that  it  was  considered  by  those 
who    saw  it,  as  a  dispensation   of  divine    Providence 
for  the  wickedness  of  the  people.     And  it  was  record- 
ed in  the  scriptures  for  an  example,  and  a  warning  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  not  to  practice  their  sins. 

The  fire  which  destroyed  Sodom  and  the  cities  of 
the  plain,  is  called  eternal  fire  on  account  of  the  long 
time  it  continued  in  the  country,  and  burned  in  those 

pits  of  slime  of  which  we  read  in  the  account  of  the 
o  1  <- 


282  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

battle  between  five  kings  on  the  part  of  Sodom  and  its 
confederates,    and   the  four  kings  who  went  against 

them. 

But  the  fact  is  we  are  assured  in  the  most  plain  terms 
that  the  punishment  of  the  sin  of  Sodom  is  not  in  a 
future  state,  but  was  executed  on  its  inhabitants  in  a 
most  sudden  and  expeditious  manner.  See  Lam.  iv.  6. 
"  For  the  punishment  of  the  iniquity  of  the  daughter 
of  my  people  is  greater  than  the  punishment  of  the 
sin  of  Sodom,  that  was  overthrown  as  in  a  moment, 
and  no  hand  stayed  on  her."  By  this  testimony  we 
learn  the  following  facts,  which  relate  to  the  argument 
under  consideration. 

1 .  The  punishment  of  the  sin  of  Sodom,  was  their 
temporal  destruction. 

2.  This  overthrow,  which  was  the  punishment  of 
their  sins  was  executed  in  a  very  short  time. 

3.  There  was  no, protracted  punishment  executed 
on  them  after  this  sudden  overthrow.  This  we  learn 
from  the  concluding  words  of  the  passage  quoted ;  "  No 
hand  stayed  on  her."     And 

4.  This  punishment  of  the  sin  of  Sodom  was  less 
than  the  punishment  of  the  iniquity  of  the  house  of 
Israel.  And  it  is  furthermore  worthy  of  observation, 
that  if  the  punishment  of  the  sin  of  Sodom  be  endless 
misery,  it  is  a  most  palpable  absurdity  to  say,  that  the 
punishment  of  the  iniquity  of  the  house  of  Israel  was 
greater.  The  punishment  which  the  prophet  de- 
scribes, as  being  greater  than  the  punishment  of  the 
sin  of  Sodom,  was  altogether  the  calamities  of  wars, 
famines,  and  other  temporal  judgments  which  came  on 
the  people  for  their  iniquities.  And  by  the  prophet 
Ezekiel,  in  the  place  where  our  text  is  recorded,  we 
have  the  reason  given  why  the  punishment  of  Jerusa- 
lem ought,  in  justice,  to  be  greater  than  the  punish- 
ment of  the  sin  of  Sodom. 

It  is  here  stated  that  Jerusalem  was  more  corrupted 
in  all  her  ways,  than  Sodom. 

Having  fully  proved,  as  far  as  any  thing  can  be  proved 
by  the  divine  testimony,  that  the  common  opinion 
concerning  the  punishment  of  the  Sodomites  is  not 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  283 

only  without  foundation  in  scripture,  but  also  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  plain  testimony  on  the  subject,  we 
may  now  notice  the  words  of  our  text,  by  way  of  the 
following  inquiry. 

As  God  says,  by  the  prophet,  in  our  toxt ;  "  There- 
fore, I  took  them  away  as  I  saw  good,"  what  good 
was  there  effected  by  their  being  taken  away  in  such  a 
manner  ?  The  reason  why  they  were  taken  away, 
was  their  sins.  Now  if  they  remained  as  great  sin- 
ners after  they  were  destroyed,  as  they  were  before, 
then  the  occasion  of  their  being  taken  away  was  not 
removed  by  their  destruction.  Here  then  we  see, 
what  we  always  may  notice  in  false  notions  of  the 
ways  of  God.  They  always  represent  the  divine  Being 
as  capable  of  acting  without  effect,  or  in  a  partial 
manner,  or  to  a  malevolent  purpose.  God  destroyed 
the  Sodomites  because  they  were  sinful:  yet  after 
their  destruction  they  were  no  less  sinful.  Thus  the 
object  failed.  After  their  destruction,  as  their  sin  re- 
mained, the  Almighty  consigned  them  to  burning  flames 
eternally,  not  to  reform  them,  of  course,  but  to  vent  on 
them  his  eternal  wrath.  Thus  error  represents  the 
divine   Being,  revengeful  and  cruel. 

A  desire  is  felt,  that  the  hearer  would  lend  an  at- 
tention to  these  questions,  viz.  Why  should  our 
heavenly  Father  manifest  any  disapprobation  of  sin  ? 
Does  he  suffer  any  inconvenience  from  it  ?  Does  the 
happiness  of  the  sole  Governor  of  the  universe  depend 
on  the  conduct  of  his  creatures  ?  Now  as  all  will  agree 
that  the  Almighty  cannot  be  injured  by  sin,  so  it  is 
reasonable  to  conclude  that  he  forbids  it  because  it 
is  injurious  to  man ;  and  it  is  reasonable  also  to  con- 
clude that  the  judgments,  by  which  the  divine  disap- 
probation of  sin  is  manifested,  are  designed  to  lessen 
and  not  to  increase  human  misery.  But  will  any  one 
undertake  to  prove  that  human  misery  is  lessened  by 
inflicting  unspeakable  torments  on  mankind  as  long  as 
God  shall  exist  ? 

Let  us,  my  friends,  lay  aside  all  the  vain  notions  of 
tradition  and  superstition  respecting  our  subject,  no- 
tions which  suppose  that  our  Father  in  heaven  is  act- 


2S4  BALLOU's    LECTURES. 

in<*  the  part  of  an  implacable  enemy  to  his  own  ra- 
tional offspring,  and  let  us  listen  to  the  language  of 
our  text ;  and  let  us  realize  it  as  the  language  of  a 
kind  and  merciful  Father.  "  Therefore  I  took  them 
away  as  I  saw  good."  My  friends,  how  does  this  lan- 
guage sound  to  you  ?  Does  it  carry  any  idea  of  unmer- 
ciful vengeance  ?  No,  it  does  not.  But  it  gives  a  clear 
idea  that  God  acted  in  this  instance,  consistently  with 
his  nature  which  is  love,  and  with  his  character  as  a 
Father.     He  acted  for  the  good  of  his  creatures. 

According  to  promise,  we  may  now  proceed  to  no- 
tice some  other  instances  of  the  destruction  of  the 
wicked,  which  instances  are  generally  used  in  support 
of  the  system  of  terror  to  which  the  destruction  of  the 
Sodomites  is  so  universally  applied.  * 

The  first  we  propose  to  examine  is  the  destruction 
of  Pharaoh  and  his  host  in  the  red  sea. 

There  has  been  and  continues  to  be  much  dispute 
and  opposition  of  opinion  among  divines,  respecting 
God's  raising  up  Pharaoh  and  hardening  his  heart  for 
eternal  destruction.  Some  insist  that  the  Almighty,  by 
a  sovereign  act,,  created  Pharaoh  for  everlasting  misery 
in  the  eternal  world,  and  that  he  hardened  his  heart  on 
purpose  that  he  might  commit  sin  enough  to  justify  his 
endless  condemnation.  Others  oppose  such  notions, 
and  charge  them  with  making  God  the  author  of  sin. 
But  they  contend  that  Pharaoh  hardened  his  own  heart, 
was  the  sole  author  of  his  own  sins  and  is  justly  sen- 
tenced to  everlasting  perdition  together  with  all  his 
host  for  disobedience  in  refusing  to  let  the  children  of 
Israel  go  peaceably  out  of  Egypt.  Thus  there  is  one 
darling  point,  in  which,  after  they  have  opposed  one 
another  with  all  the  arguments  which  they  can  possibly 
bring  to  bear  on  the  subject  in  dispute,  and  after  they 
have  reciprocally  censured  each  other  for  holding  dan- 
gerous errors,  they  meet,  and  become  perfectly  quiet 
in  the  belief,  that  Pharaoh  and  his  host  are  in  the  tor- 
ments of  hell,  from  which  there  is  no  deliverance. 

That  which  these  opposing  divines  dispute  about  is 
not  embraced  in  the  present  object,  to  which  this  re- 
search is  directed,  but  the   point  in  which   they  both 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  285 

meet,  and  concerning  which  they  entertain  no  doubt, 
is  the  question  now  to  be  settled. 

But  how  are  we  to  obtain  our  object  ?  The  tradition 
of  the  church  says,  that  Pharaoh  and  his  host  are  in  a 
state  of  endless  torment.  This  tradition  is  now  called 
in  question.  But  how  are  we  to  bring  this  case  to  a 
fair  decision  ?  The  following  method  is  proposed.  Let 
those  divines,  who  hold  and  endeavor  to  maintain  that 
Pharaoh  and  his  host  are  in  a  state  of  endless  misery 
pursuant  to  an  eternal  decree  of  God,  and  those  who 
deny  that  tenet,  but  maintain  that  Pharaoh  and  his  host 
are  in  this  state  of  torment  in  consequence  of  abusing 
their  moral  agency  drop  their  dispute,  until  they  shall 
have  proved  that  Pharaoh  and  his  host  are  actually  in 
such  a  state.  And  then  let  them  all  agree  to  believe 
nothing  on  this  subject  more  than  the  divine  testimony 
proves. 

When  this  method  is  agreed  to,  the  whole  question 
is  settled  ;  for  the  fact  is,  there  is  no  intimation  in  the 
scripture  account  that  Pharaoh  or  any  of  his  host  were 
sufferers  after  they  were  drowned  in  the  red  sea. 

It  is  a  most  humiliating  thought,  that  our  learned 
doctors  of  the  church  should  so  long  maintain  this 
phantom  of  their  imagination,  to  the  dishonor  of  God, 
and  to  the  discomfort  of  every  tendeV  sensibility  of  the 
human  heart. 

But  the  day  of  trial  and  retribution  is  come;  and 
this  folly  must  be  recompensed.  It  is  true,  they  may 
turn  away  their  faces,  they  may  wish  to  avoid  meeting 
these  glaring  absurdities ;  but  the  spirit  of  investiga- 
tion, which  is  now  manifesting  itself,  will  never  suffer 
this  matter  to  rest,  until  such  barbarity  of  sentiment  is 
totally  rescinded. 

The  hearer  is  cautioned  against  the  supposition  that 
the  preacher  takes  the  least  satisfaction  in  giving  those, 
who  maintain  the  errors  which  he  is  endeavoring  to 
expose,  the  smallest  sensation  that  may  disturb  their 
comfort,  and  against  harboring  such  a  reprehensible 
disposition.  But  he  may  be  assured,  that  no  respect 
due  to  fellow  mortals,  can  justly  prevent  us  from  bring- 
ing their  false  notions  to  the  light. 


286  BALLOU's    LECTURES. 

The  next  subject,  which  we  propose  to  notice  is  thai 
of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram.  We  have  an  account 
in  the  16th  of  Numbers  of  the  destruction  of  these 
persons,  their  families,  and  of  all  that  appertained  to 
them,  by  being  swallowed  up  in  the  earth.  This  is  an- 
other instance  of  divine  providence,  which  those  who 
believe  and  preach  the  doctrine  of  endless,  unmerci- 
ful punishment  advert  to  as  a  certain  proof  of  its  reality. 
But  how  can  the  account  which  we  have  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  those  people  prove  what  it  says  nothing  of  nor 
even  implies?  If  one  should  say,  that  Korah,  Dathan, 
and  Abiram  with  their  families  went  immediately,  after 
they  were  swallowed  up  in  the  earth,  to  some  one  of 
the  planets,  where  they  have  all  lived  ever  since  in  a 
state  of  affluence,  who  could  prove  to  the  contrary  ? 
There  is  nothing  in  the  account  which  we  have  of  those 
people  that  intimate  what  became  of  them  after  they 
were  swallowed  up  in  the  earth. 

If  we  could  be  satisfied  with  the  account  which  we 
have  of  this  matter,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  understand- 
ing why  these  people  were  swallowed  up,  and  the 
benefit  thereby  intended  to  the  congregation. 

As  these  men  rose  up  to  oppose  Moses  and  Aaron, 
and  to  excite  the  people  to  rebellion,  Moses  told  the 
congregation  ;  "  Hereby  shall  ye  know  that  the  Lord 
hath  sent  me  to  do  all  these  works.  If  these  men  die 
the  common  death  of  all  men,  or  if  they  be  visited  after 
the  visitation  of  all  men.  then  the  Loid  hath  not  sent 
me  ;  but  if  the  Lord  make  a  new  thing,  and  the  earth 
open  her  mouth,  and  swallow  them  up,  with  all  that 
appcrtaineth  unto  them,  and  they  go  down  quickly  into 
the  pit,  then  ye  shall  understand  that  those  men  have 
provoked  the  Lord."  According  to  these  words  the 
event  took  place,  and  the  rebellion  was  ended. 

The  question  is  now  put  to  the  candor  of  this  chris- 
tian audience,  what  is  there  in  this  account  that 
authorises  the  belief  that  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram 
are  now  in  a  state  of  endless  torment  ?  Moses  did  not 
intimate  to  the  congregation  that  these  people  would 
be  tormented  after  death  ;  and  in  fact  if  he  had  told 
them  so,  they  could  not   have  been  witnesses  of  the 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  287 

truth  of  his  testimony  ;  nor  could  any  other  people 
since  have  known  whether  Moses  spoke  the  truth  or 
not.  We  have  no  account  either  sacred  or  profane, 
that  gives  any  information  of  the  situation  of  this  com- 
pany after  the  earth  swallowed  them  up.  If  they 
have  been  in  a  state  of  torment  ever  since,  that  tor- 
ment has  been  no  terror  to  the  living,  because  the 
living  have  known  nothing  of  it.  And  it  is  certain, 
that  those  who  advert  to  the  case  of  Korah  and  his 
company,  as  an  instance  proving  the  doctrine  of  a 
future  state  of  miseiy,  do  this  thing  on  no  higher 
authority  than  human  tradition. 

The  destruction  of  the  old  world  by  the  flood,  is 
another  event,  on  which,  our  preachers  of  punishment 
in  a  future  state,  depend  for  proof  of  their  terrific  doc- 
trine. And  such  is  the  habit  of  thinking,  with  pious 
and  religious  people,  on  this  subject,  that  whenever 
they  think  of  the  drowning  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
old  world,  their  minds  are  carried  directly  to  the  idea 
of  the  awful  state  of  suffering  which  those  people 
have  been  in  ever  since.  They  never  presume  to  call 
the  matter  in  question.  They  never  think  of  asking 
whether  there  be  any  proof  of  this  horrible  notion. 
They  take  it  altogether  on  tradition,  without  taking 
the  trouble  ever  to  read  the  account  to  see  what  is 
said  respecting  it.  Yet  it  is  worthy  of  notice,  that 
these  very  people,  thus  led  away  with  superstition, 
will  wonder,  and  even  laugh  at  the  absurd  supersti- 
tions of  other  people,  in  matters  of  no  consequence 
in  comparison  with  this  which  we  have  now  called  in 
question.  For  instance,  what  a  world  of  contention 
there  has  been  between  Roman  Catholics  and  Protes- 
tants, on  the  question  respecting  transubstantiation, 
and  what  is  termed  the  real  presence.  Protestants 
will  even  ridicule  the  superstition  of  their  opponents 
on  this  subject ;  but  after  all,  have  they  a  thousandth 
part  of  the  evidence  to  prove  that  the  inhabitants  of 
the  old  world  are  in  a  state  of  endless  misery,  as  the 
Catholics  have  to  prove  the  real  presence  ?  No,  surely 
they  have  not.  When  Jesus  took  bread  and  brake  it, 
he  said;    "This  is  my  body."     Protestants  say,  that 


288  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

Jesus  spake  figuratively ;  but  the  Catholics  deny  this, 
and  say,  he  meant  as  he  said.  Now  what  we  ask  is 
this,  is  there  in  all  the  account  which  we  have  of  the 
destruction  of  the  old  world,  any  thing  so  much  in 
favor  of  the  misery  of  the  people  after  death,  as  the 
words  of  Christ  are  in  favor  of  the  catholic  sentiment  ? 
The  fact  is,  there  is  nothing  said  on  the  subject.  There 
is  no  intimation  that  the  inhabitants  who  were  drown- 
ed by  the  flood  were  made  miserable  at  all  in  a  future 
state.  Thus  Protestants,  as  well  as  the  old  Pharisees, 
"  strain  at  a  gnat,  and  swallow  a  camel.' 

In  the  last  place,  we  will  notice  the  case  of  Judas, 
who  betrayed  Jesus.  Because  Jesus  said ;  "  It  had 
been  good  for  that  man  if  he  had  not  been  born,"  it  is 
now  contended  that  Judas  is  in  a  state  of  misery  from 
which  there  is  no  deliverance.  But  did  the  divine 
teacher  say  any  thing  on  the  subject  of  the  state  of 
existence  that  Judas  would  be  in  after  this  life  ?  No, 
he  surely  did  not.  How  then  can  his  words  prove 
what  they  say  nothing  of? 

Let  us  ask  the  following  question ;  Is  it  possible  to 
prove  that  Judas  now  has  any  existence,  from  the 
words  of  Jesus,  which  we  have  quoted  ?  "  It  had 
been  good  for  that  man  if  he  had  not  been  born." 
Do  these  words  prove  that  Judas  is  now  in  existence  ? 
Surely  no  one  will  even  pretend  this.  But  it  is  beyond 
all  scruple,  that  a  sentence  which  does  not  prove  that 
a  man  exists  at  a  given  time,  cannot  prove  that  he  is 
miserable  or  happy  at  the  same  given  time. 

But  it  is  said,  if  Judas  exists,  and  if  he  should  be 
made  happy  in  the  eternal  world,  the  words  of  Jesus 
are  not  true,  because  the  existence  of  Judas  will  be  a 
blessing.  This  we  pronounce  loose  and  fallacious  rea- 
soning, such  as  is  never  used  to  prove  any  thing,  except 
the  doctrine  of  a  future  or  endless  misery.  In  all 
matters  appertaining  to  men's  interest,  in  this  life,  bet- 
ter proof  is  required  than  what  is  here  relied  on,  to 
prove  a  state  of  endless  torment.  We  even  venture 
to  say,  that  there  could  not  be  found  a  jury  of  twelve 
men  who  would  award  property  to  the  amount  of  ten 
dollars  to  a  man,  who  could  not  prove  his  claim  to  it 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  289 

by  evidence  more  to  his  case.  We  may  suppose  that 
Jesus  meant,  that  it  would  have  been  good  for  Judas, 
if  his  lot  had  been  appointed  with  those  who  never 
saw  the  light;  or  we  may  suppose  that  he  meant,  it 
would  have  been  good  for  Judas  if  he  had  not  been 
born  until  after  that  period  of  time  ;  or  we  may  sup- 
pose that  Jesus  meant,  it  would  have  been  good  for 
Judas  if  he  had  not  at  that  time  been  born  of  the 
spirit  of  truth  ;  for  Peter  says  of  those  that  fall  away, 
"  It  would  have  been  better  for  them  not  to  have 
known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than  after  they  have 
known  it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandments  deliv- 
ered unto  them."  Either  of  these  suppositions  is  within 
the  possible  meaning  of  the  words  of  Jesus  ;  but  the 
supposition  that  Jesus  meant,  that  it  would  have  been 
good  for  Judas  not  to  have  had  an  existence,  is  not 
within  the  possible  meaning  of  his  words  ;  for  if  he 
had  not  existed,  he  could  have  received  no  good  in 
any  way.  Whoever  will  carefully  read  what  Job  says 
concerning  his  being  born,  in  his  3d  chapter,  and  like- 
wise what  Jeremiah  says  of  his  own  birth  in  his  20th 
chapter,  will  surely  find  as  much  proof  of  the  misery 
of  these  men  in  another  world,  as  they  can  find  in  the 
words  of  Jesus  respecting  the  misery  of  Judas  in  the 
future  state. 

According  to  the  words  of  Jesus  in  the  19th  of 
Matthew,  Judas  had  followed  him  in  the  regeneration. 
And  we  learn  by  the  account  we  have  in  the  10th 
chapter,  that  Judas,  as  well  as  the  rest  of  the  twelve 
Apostles,  was  endowed  with  power  to  heal  the  sick, 
to  cleanse  lepers,  to  raise  the  dead,  and  to  cast  out 
devils ;  he  was  also  commissioned  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel. In  the  labors  of  this  miraculous  ministry,  we 
have  no  account  that  Judas  was  not  as  faithful  and  as 
successful  as  the  rest  of  the  twelve.  But  he  was  a 
fallible  man  like  the  rest ;  satan  entered  into  him,  and 
he  committed  one  act  that  was  base  in  the  extreme ; 
he  betrayed  his  Master.  Peter  also  denied  him,  and 
confirmed  his  denial  with  oaths.  Judas  was  called  a 
devil,  and  Peter  was  called  satan.     Our  tradition  has 


25 


290  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

placed  Judas  in  hell,  in  the  eternal  world,  and  Peter 
in  heaven. 

The  exclamation  that  Judas  made  when  he  repent- 
ed and  brought  back  the  money  (O  that  all,  who  pro- 
fess to  repent,  would  do  likewise,)  to  the  chief  priests. 
is  worthy  of  observation :  "  I  have  sinned,  in  that  I 
have  betrayed  the  innocent  blood." — This  shows  the 
high  estimation  in  which  this  unhappy  man  held  inno- 
cence. It  seems  that  the  pain  of  his  heart  was  occa- 
sioned by  his  having  betrayed  the  innocent. 

Now  if  he  had  had  no  love  nor  regard  for  inno- 
cence, but  if  entire  opposition  to  all  good  had  pos- 
sessed his  heart,  he  surely  would  not  have  repented 
and  brought  back  the  money ;  he  would  not  have  ex- 
claimed, "  I  have  sinned,  in  that  I  have  betrayed  the 
innocent  blood." 

My  friends,  the  scriptures  give  no  account  that  this 
man  was  miserable  in  another  state;  but  the  distress 
his  soul  was  in,  in  consequence  of  having  betrayed  the 
innocent  Jesus,  should  be  a  solemn  warning  to  every 
one  of  us,  that  we  never  violate  our  duty  to  the 
innocent. 

To  conclude :  God  took  away  the  Sodomites,  Pha- 
raoh and  his  host,  Korah  and  his  company,  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  old  world,  Judas  who  betrayed  his  Mas- 
ter, and  many  others,  as  he  saw  good.  His  designs 
are  all  the  designs  of  goodness.  And  if  the  Holy 
Ghost  had  intended  to  inform  us  that  all  those  people 
were  miserable  in  the  invisible  world,  we  should  have 
found  it  so  recorded  in  the  faithful  testimony.  But 
we  have  reason  to  be  thankful,  and  to  praise  the  name 
of  him,  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  who  is  the 
propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  We 
have  great  consolation  in  believing,  that,  "  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive."  In 
opposition  to  the  doctrine  of  future,  endless  misery, 
we  present  the  unchangeable  goodness  of  that  God,, 
who  "  is  good  unto  all,  and  whose  tender  mercies  are 
over  all  his  works." 


LECTURE    XXI. 


VEXATION    OF    FALSE    RELIGION. 

ISAIAH  xxviii.  last  of  19. 

"And  it  shall  be  a  vexation  only  to  understand  the  report.** 

The  prophet,  in  this  chapter,  contemplates  the 
house  of  Israel  in  a  state  of  great  seeming  security, 
into  which  they  had  introduced  themselves,  by  making 
a  covenant  with  death,  and  an  agreement  with  hell, 
and  by  preparing  for  themselves  a  refuge  of  lies. 

As  is  perfectly  natural  with  those,  who,  by  their 
own  wisdom,  frame  for  themselves  partial  systems,  this 
people  exulted  in  their  confidence,  and  raised  their 
expectations  of  seeing  the  destructions  and  calamities, 
from  which  they  fancied  themselves  secure,  fall  like  an 
overflowing  scourge  on  those  who  had  neglected  to 
enter  into  their  covenant,  to  avail  themselves  of  their 
agreement,  and  to  take  shelter  in  their  refuge. 

According  to  their  confidence  and  expectation  they 
said ;  "  We  have  made  a  covenant  with  death,  and 
with  hell  are  we  at  agreement;  when  the  overflowing 
scourge  shall  pass  through,  it  shall  not  come  unto  us ; 
for  we  have  made  lies  our  refuge,  and  under  falsehood 
have  we  hid  ourselves." 

Thus  an  overflowing  scourge  was  expected ;  but  it 
was  to  come  on  others,  they  were  safe.  They  had 
made  due  preparations  for  security,  and  had  nothing 
to  anticipate  but  their  own  safety  and  the  destruction 
of  others,  who  had  neglected  to  get  an  interest  in  their 
means  of  defence. 

But  the  wisdom  of  man  is  foolishness  with  God. 
When  he  thinks  himself  secure,  and  is  looking  out  for 
the  destruction  of  others,  he  is  frequently  subjected  to 


292  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

the  vexation  of  seeing  his  confidence  fail,  his  hope 
expire,  and  his  expectations  die. 

Such  was  the  lot  of  that  people  whom  the  prophet 
addressed  in  this  chapter.  For  in  reply  to  their 
boasting,  the  Lord  says  ;  "  Behold  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a 
foundation  a  stone,  a  tried  stone ;  a  precious  corner 
stone,  a  sure  foundation  ;  he  that  believeth  shall  not 
make  haste.  Judgment  also  will  I  lay  to  the  line,  and 
righteousness  to  the  plummet;  and  the  hail  shall 
sweep  away  the  refuge  of  lies,  and  the  waters  shall 
overflow  the  hiding-place.  And  your  covenant  with 
death  shall  be  disannulled,  and  your  agreement  with 
hell  shall  not  stand ;  when  the  overflowing  scourge 
shall  pass  through,  then  ye  shall  be  trodden  down  by 
it.  From  the  time  that  it  goeth  forth  it  shall  take  you  : 
for  morning  by  morning  shall  it  pass  over,  by  day  and 
by  night ;  and  it  shall  be  a  vexation  only  to  understand 
the  report.  For  the  bed  is  shorter  than  that  a  man 
can  stretch  himself  on  it ;  and  the  covering  narrower 
than  that  he  can  wrap  himself  in  it."  This  was 
widely  different  from  their  expectations.  All  their 
calculations  failed.  Their  covenant  with  death  dis- 
annulled ;  their  agreement  with  hell  dissolved ;  and 
the  waters  overflowed  the  hiding-places  composed  of 
lies.  The  bed  prepared  for  repose  is  found  to  be  too 
short ;  and  the  covering  designed  for  defence  from 
the  cold,  is  too  narrow.  Thus  their  labor  is  lost:  and 
'n  room  of  security  they  find  trouble,  and  in  room  of 
oeholding  the  destruction  of  others,  they  are  vexed 
with  the  report  of  their  own. 

That  the  spirit  of  prophecy  spake  in  this  chapter 
concerning  Christ  and  the  gospel  day  seems  evident 
from  the  16th  verse,  which  has  been  quoted. 

1  Behold  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a 
tried  stone ;  a  precious  corner  stone,  a  sure  founda- 
tion ;  he  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste."  Com- 
pare this  with  the  following  words  of  St.  Peter; 
"  Wherefore  also  it  is  contained  in  the  Scripture, 
Behold  1  lay  in  Sion  a  chief  corner  stone,  elect,  pre- 
cious; and  he  that  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  con- 
founded."    Also    Acts   iv.    11.    "This    is   the   stone 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  293 

which  was  set  at  nought  by  you  builders,  which  is 
become  the  head  of  the  corner."  Likewise  Psalm 
cxviii.  22,  23.  "  The  stone  which  the  builders  refused 
is  become  the  head  stone  of  the  corner.  This  is  the 
Lord's  doing;  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes;"  com- 
pared with  Matt.  xxi.  42.  "  Jesus  saith  unto  them, 
did  ye  never  read  in  the  scriptures,  The  stone  which 
the  builders  rejected,  the  same  is  become  the  head  of 
the  corner ;  this  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvel- 
lous in  our  eyes  ?  "  To  this  stone  St.  Paul  alludes  in 
Romans  ix.  where  he  speaks  of  the  stumbling  of  the 
house  of  Israel,  as  follows;  "But  Israel,  which  fol- 
lowed after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath  not  attained 
to  the  law  of  righteousness.  Wherefore?  Because 
they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the 
works  of  the  law :  for  they  stumbled  at  the  stumbling 
stone ;  as  it  is  written,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion  a  stum- 
bling stone,  and  a  rock  of  offence :  and  whosoever 
believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed." 

By  the  light  shed  on  our  subject,  by  this  comparison 
of  scripture  testimony,  we  are  assisted  to  make  the 
following  conclusions. 

I.  The  doctrine  and  religion  of  the  old  Jewish 
church,  were  represented  by  the  prophet,  as  a  cove- 
nant with  death,  an  agreement  with  hell,  and  a  refuge 
of  lies. 

II.  The  Messiah,  his  doctrine  and  religion,  are 
represented  by  a  precious  corner  stone,  judgment  laid 
to  the  line  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet,  and  to 
hail  and  to  waters  forming  an  overflowing  scourge,  by 
which  the  covenant  with  death  is  disannulled,  the 
agreement  with  hell  destroyed,  and  the  refuge  of  lies 
overflown.     And 

III.  The  vexation  which  the  report  of  the  doctrine, 
religion,  and  things  of  Jesus  would  cause  his  enemies, 
in  the  day  of  the  manifestation  of  his  power  and  grace. 

The  doctrine  and  religion  of  the  old  Pharisees,  the 
most  religious  sect  among  the  Jews,  being  the  natural 
fruits  of  their  carnal  evil  hearts,  were  very  justly  rep- 
resented by  a  covenant  and  an  agreement  with  death 
and  hell.  St.  Paul  savs,  "  To  be  carnally  minded  is 
25* 


294  BALLOU'S  LECTURES. 

death."  And  Jesus,  speaking  to  the  Pharisees,  said  ; 
"  O  generation  of  vipers  !  how  long  can  ye,  being  evil, 
speak  ^ood  things  ?  for  out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  speaketh.  A  good  man,  out  of  the 
good  treasures  of  his  heart,  bringeth  forth  good  things  ; 
and  an  evil  man,  out  of  the  evil  treasure,  bringeth 
forth  evil  things." 

There  never  was  but  two  sorts  of  religion  in  the 
world,  the  true  and  the  false.  True  religion  is  the 
natural  growth  of  a  good  heart ;  and  false  religion  is 
the  spontaneous  production  of  an  evil  heart.  There 
never  was  but  two  doctrines  in  the  world,  the  true  and 
the  false.  The  true  doctrine  is  the  offspring  of  the 
wisdom  which  is  from  above  ;  and  the  false  is  the  vain 
imagination  of  the  wisdom  which  is  from  beneath. 
"  The  wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  first  pure,  then 
peaceable,  gentle,  and  easy  -to  be  entreated,  full  of 
mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  partiality  and  without 
hypocrisy ; "  but  the  wisdom  which  is  from  beneath  is 
directly  the  reverse  ;  it  is  impure,  contentious,  unkind, 
inexorable,  unmerciful,  full  of  evil  fruits,  partial,  and 
hypocritical. 

This  last  was  the  doctrine  of  the  Pharisees.  It  was 
that  leaven  which  had,  in  a  great  degree,  leavened  the 
whole  Jewish  nation.  It  rendered  the  Pharisees  and 
the  people  in  general  so  inimical  to  Christ  and  his 
gospel. 

This  doctrine,  which  is  represented  by  a  covenant 
with  death,  and  an  agreement  with  hell,  may  always 
be  known  by  its  enmity.  Put  it  into  whatever  dress 
you  may,  call  it  by  whatever  name  you  please,  repre- 
sent it  as  the  most  precious  of  all  treasures,  all  this 
does  not  alter  its  nature.  Call  it,  if  you  will,  the 
apostolic  faith,  the  holy  catholic,  the  evangelic,  the 
Calvinistic,  the  Arminian,  or  the  orthodox ;  if  there 
oe  partiality,  if  there  be  an  unmerciful  spirit,  and  if 
there  be  an  implacable  wrath  in  it,  it  is  a  covenant 
with  death,  and  an  agreement  with  hell.  This  doc- 
trine may  be  taught  by  a  renowned  Gamaliel,  it  may 
have  and  command  the  influence  of  colleges  and  emi- 
nent professors,  it  may  be  decorated  with  gowns  and 
bands,  but  it  remains  the  same. 


ballOu's  lectures.  295 

Lies  and  hypocrisy  are  its  refuge.  In  his  faithful- 
ness to  his  adversaries,  our  Saviour  did  not  fail  to 
point  out  their  hypocrisy,  and  the  methods  by  which 
they  deceived  the  people.  He  said  ;  "  Wo  unto  you, 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  1  for  ye  devour  wid- 
ow's houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make  long  prayer." 
All  such  prayers  were  falsehoods ;  they  were  mere 
pretences,  designed  to  deceive  the  people.  For  this 
species  of  hypocrisy,  Jesus  told  them,  that  they  should 
receive  the  greater  damnation. 

Again,  the  Saviour  said ;  "  Wo  unto  you,  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  ye  compass  sea  and 
land  to  make  one  proselyte ;  and,  when  he  is  made, 
ye  make  him  two-fold  more  the  child  of  hell  than 
yourselves."  This  must  have  been  done  by  falsehood 
and  deceit. 

"Wo  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites ! 
for  ye  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  the 
platter,  but  within  they  are  full  of  extortion  and  ex- 
cess." This  again  is  all  deceit.  "Wo  unto  you, 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites !  for  ye  are  like  unto 
whited  sepulchres,  which  indeed  appear  beautiful  out- 
ward, but  are  within  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and  of 
all  uncleanness."  All  this  was  designed  to  point  out 
their  hypocrisy,  in  appearing  to  be  righteous  when 
they  were  full  of  iniquity. 

"  Wo  unto  you,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites  ! 
because  ye  build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  gar- 
nish the  sepulchres  of  the  righteous,  and  say,  if  we 
had  been  in  the  days  of  our  fathers,  we  would  not 
have  been  partakers  with  them  in  the  blood  of  the 
prophets."  All  this  again  was  hypocrisy,  which  proved 
them  to  be  the  children  of  those  who  killed  the  proph- 
ets. The  Saviour  further  said  to  his  enemies ;  "  Fill 
ye  up  then  the  measure  of  your  fathers.  Ye  serpents, 
ye  generation  of  vipers !  how  can  ye  escape  the  dam- 
nation of  hell  ? " 

Speaking  to  his  disciples  concerning  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  Jesus  said  ;  "All  their  works  do  they  to  be 
seen  of  men :  they  make  broad  their  phylacteries,  and 
enlarge  the  borders  of  their  garments,  and  love  the 


296  BALLOUS    LECTURES. 

uppermost  rooms  at  feasts,  and  the  chief  seats  in  the 
synagogues,  and  greetings  in  the  markets,  and  to  be 
called  of  men,  Rabbi,  Rabbi." 

When  these  hypocrites  gave  any  thing  to  the  poor, 
they  would  sound  a  trumpet  before  them  in  the  Syna- 
gogues, and  iu  the  streets,  that  they  might  have  glory 
of  men.  When  they  fasted  they  were  careful  to  dis- 
figure their  faces  and  to  appear  with  sad  countenances, 
that  they  might  appear  unto  men  to  fast.  These  sol- 
emn, but  false  indications  formed  the  refuge  of  lies 
which  suitably  become  the  partial  doctrine  and  illiberal 
religion  which  they  professed  and  practiced,  and  which 
the  prophet  represented  by  a  covenant  with  death  and 
an  agreement  with  hell. 

We  have  already  said  that  there  never  was  but  one 
false  religion,  that  there  never  was  but  one  false  doc- 
trine ;  this  false  doctrine  and  spurious  religion  have  al- 
ways in  all  ages,  do  now,  and  will  as  long  as  they  ex- 
ist in  the  world  manifest  themselves  by  we  righteous, 
and  they  wicked. 

When  the  advocates  of  partial  religion  talk  of  the 
wicked,  they  always  speak  in  the  third  person. 
"  This  man  receiveth  sinners  and  eateth  with  them." 
He  is  gone  to  be  guest  with  a  man  that  is  a  sinner. 
This  is  the  native  language  of  false  religion.  It  is 
never  heard  to  say,  he  is  come  to  me  a  sinner,  he  re- 
ceiveth me  a  sinner.  It  never  says,  "  this  is  a  faithful 
saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am 
chief" 

When  we  say  that  there  is  but  one  false  doctrine, 
we  mean  that  all  the  doctrines  invented  by  the  wisdom 
of  this  world  are  one  in  spirit ;  they  are  partial,  they 
are  full  of  enmity,  they  have  treasures  of  unmerciful 
wrath  in  them  ;  in  one  word0  you  will  always  find  that 
a  false  doctrine  is  unmerciful  to  sinners,  but  abundant- 
ly compassionate  to  the  righteous.  All  the  errors  in 
the  world  are  but  one  in  this. 

Those,  who  look  on  themselves  as  righteous,  and 
view  others  as  sinners,  calculate  largely  on  their  own 
safety,  on  the  rich  rewards  which  they  are  to  receive ; 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  297 

but  are  full  of  expectations  and  horror  on  account  of 
the  vengeance  that  is  coming  on  the  wicked.  This  is 
the  case  with  the  Pharisee  in  all  countries,  and  has 
been  in  all  ages.  The  old  Pharisees  of  Jerusalem, 
those  of  the  christian  church  of  every  denomination 
are  one  character,  of  one  doctrine,  of  one  spirit,  they 
all  speak  one  language.  They  look  out  for  an  over- 
flowing scourge  to  fall  on  the  wicked,  but  they  are  se- 
cure. 

To  such  people  the  mild,  merciful  doctrine  of  Jesus 
is  an  overflowing  scourge  ;  to  such  doctrine,  that  gos- 
pel which  is  as  the  rain,  which  distils  as  the  dew,  is  as 
a  storm  of  hail  which  beats  the  tender  herb  to  the 
ground. 

To  hear  the  news,  to  understand  the  report  that 
grace,  mercy,  and  peace  are  flowing  to  sinners  through 
a  kind  Redeemer  is  indeed  a  vexation. 

Let  us,  my  hearers,  notice  some  of  the  instances  of 
vexation  occasioned  by  the  goodness  and  mercy  of 
the  Saviour,  which  are  recorded  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

But  first  let  us  observe  how  exactly  the  Pharisees 
were  prepared  to  meet  with  disappointment  and  vexa- 
tion. They  expected  a  Messiah,  and  were  looking  out 
for  him.  They  had  no  doubt  but  he  would  be  one  of 
their  order,  and  would  come  to  them  as  to  the  only 
righteous  people  on  earth.  They  expected  to  receive 
his  full  approbation,  and  to  hear  all  the  anathemas 
which  they  had  been  in  the  habit  of  pronouncing  on 
sinners,  v/ho  had  neglected  to  conform  to  their  religion, 
reiterated  by  their  Messiah  accompanied  with  execu- 
tive wrath. 

Under  these  circumstances,  and  with  such  expecta- 
tions, the  chief  priests,  scribes,  doctors  of  the  law  and 
Pharisees,  at  Jerusalem,  hear  a  report  which  is  circu- 
lated about  the  city,  of  one  Jesus,  away  in  the  extreme 
part  of  the  country,  in  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles,  who  has 
undertaken  to  preach.  In  such  a  case  it  would  be 
natural  for  them  to  inquire,  who  he  was,  and  what 
sort  of  a  man,  and  how  he  came  inducted  into  the 
ministry.     They  soon  learn  that  he  is  the  son  of  a  car- 


298  BALLOIj's     LECTURES. 

penter,  and  that  he  was  baptized  by  that  John,  who, 
beino-  possessed  of  the  devil,  had  the  audacity  to  call 
them,  as  holy  as  they  were,  a  generation  of  vipers. 
This  information  gives  them  disgust. 

Another  report  comes  which  states  what  this  new 
preacher  has  insinuated  respecting  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees ;  this  report  says,  that  the  preacher  has  the 
impiety  to  tell  his  hearers  ;  "  Except  your  righteous- 
ness shall  exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  scribes  phari- 
isees,  ye  shall  in  no  case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  This  is  looked  upon  as  most  profane,  yea 
abominable.  There  comes  another,  report,  and  the 
news  flies  about  like  lightning,  that  this  new  preacher 
pretends  to  be  the  Messiah  promised,  and  that  he 
works  miracles  in  confirmation  of  his  divine  mission  ? 
This  is  vexation  indeed. 

My  friends,  can  you  conceive  of  any  thing  that  could 
have  been  a  greater  vexation  to  a  religious  people,  to  a 
people,  who  really  believed  that  they  were  heaven's 
favorites ;  and  were  conscious  to  themselves  that  they 
had  served  God  in  a  most  perfect  manner,  than  to  be 
told  by  one,  who  could  heal  the  sick  with  a  word,  cast 
out  demons  by  a  command,  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind, 
and  call  the  dead  to  life,  that  publicans  and  harlots 
should  go  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  them  ? 
If  the  man  who  made  this  declaration,  had  been  an  or- 
dinary character,  or  if  he  had  been  a  person  of  no  note 
among  the  people,  it  might  not  have  occasioned  them 
any  trouble  ;  they  might  have  suffered  it  to  pass  like 
the  unstable  wind,  which  might  the  next  hour  blow 
the  other  way.  But  what  must  have  been  their  aston- 
ishment, vexation,  and  confusion  on  hearing  this  report 
from  the  lips  of  Jesus,  whose  fame  had  already  extend- 
ed through  all  the  country,  whose  wonderful  miracles 
had  already  set  the  people  all  in  motion,  after  whom 
thousands  and  thousands  were  flocking,  carrying  their 
sick,  their  lame,  their  blind  and  dumb,  and  who  re- 
joiced in  the  manifestations  of  the  divine  power  in  heal- 
ing  all  infirmities  among  the  people  ? 

"  Publicans  and  harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God 
l)«fure  you."     What  a  vexation!     The  chief  priests 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  299 

and  elders  of  the  people,  who  were  in  expectation  of 
the  Messiah,  and  who  had  made  every  preparation  for 
his  reception,  which  they  thought  necessary,  were  now 
informed  that  publicans  and  harlots  were  to  go  into  the 
kingdom  of  God  before  them. 

Never  were  people  more  vexed  than  were  the  phari- 
sees  in  the  affair  of  the  man  who  was  born  blind.  In 
the  first  place  they  would  not  believe  that  he  was 
born  blind  ;  but  after  they  had  called  his  parents,  and 
were  certified  that  this  was  the  case,  they  then  asked 
him  how  he  had  received  his  sight.  He  assured  them 
that  Jesus  had  opened  his  eyes.  They  finally  conclud- 
ed that  even  if  he  did  open  his  eyes,  yet  he  was  a  sin- 
ner because  he  had  done  it  on  the  sabbath  day.  But 
others  said  ;  "  how  can  a  man  that  is  a  sinner  do  such 
miracles,  and  there  was  a  division  among  them." 

Such  was  the  vexation  occasioned  by  this  astonish- 
ing miracle,  and  by  the  testimony  of  him  on  whom  it 
was  performed,  that  they  cast  him  out  of  the  Syna- 
gogue. 

The  raising  of  Lazarus,  and  the  report  of  this  fact 
caused  great  vexation  among  the  pharisees,  who  on 
this  account,  together  with  the  chief  priests,  gathered  a 
council,  and  said,  what  do  we  ?  for  this  man  doeth 
many  miracles.  If  we  let  him  thus  alone,  all  men  will 
believe  on  him."  And  they  took  counsel  to  put  him 
to  death.  Nor  did  they  think  that  this  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  prevent  the  evil ;  they  thought  it  expedient 
also  to  put  Lazarus  to  death,  because  many  of  the 
Jews  believed  on  Jesus  on  account  of  going  to  see 
Lazarus,  and  being  made  acquainted  with  the  fact  of 
his  having  been  dead,  but  raised  up  by  the  power  of 
Jesus. 

This  divine  teacher  gave  his  enemies  unspeakable 
vexation  by  charging  them  with  hypocrisy  to  their 
faces,  by  calling  them  serpents,  and  a  generation  of 
vipers,  and  pronouncing  on  them  woes  and  the  damna- 
tion of  hell. 

But  nothing  caused  greater  vexation  to  the  self- 
righteous,  than  the  language  of  Jesus  to  sinners. 
"Son,  be  of  good  cheer,   thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee; 


300  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

daughter,  be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee." 
For°this  they  charged  him  with  blasphemy. 

This  forgiveness  of  sins,  placed  the  sinner  on  the 
same  footing  with  the  righteous,  which  was  a  vexation 
to  those  who  had  been  at  an  incalculable  expense  and 
trouble  to  become  righteous. 

The  parable  of  the  laborers  was  designed  to  set 
forth  the  impartial  goodness  of  God,  and  the  vexation 
that  the  self-righteous  would  feel  on  hearing  the  report. 
All  the  day  long  did  the  laborers  who  were  first  hired, 
make  their  calculations  how  much  better  they  were  to 
fare  at  evening,  than  those  who  were  idle  in  the  mar- 
kets. And  when  they  saw  them  come  into  the  vine- 
yard at  the  eleventh  hour,  they  were  persuaded  that 
they  would  receive  little,  or  nothing  for  what  they  did; 
but  when  they  saw  them  paid  off,  and  knew  that  they 
received  every  man  a  penny,  they  were  in  hopes  of  re- 
ceiving more,  but  what  was  their  vexation  when  they 
received  their  penny  also  ? 

They  murmured,  they  complained,  they  accused  the 
good  man  of  the  house  of  unjust  conduct;  but  he  told 
them  that  he  would  give  unto  the  last  even  as  unto 
them. 

The  parable  of  the  prodigal  and  the  elder  brother 
is  another  representation  of  the  vexation  which  the 
doctrine  of  divine  grace  caused  in  the  minds  of  the 
pharisees.  When  the  elder  brother  was  coming  from 
the  field  at  evening,  he  heard  music  and  dancing  in 
the  house  and  great  merriment  and  rejoicing.  He 
sent  a  servant  to  know  the  occasion,  who  returned  and 
informed  him  that  his  brother  had  come  home,  and 
that  his  father  had  killed  the  fatted  calf,  because  he 
had  received  him  safe  and  sound. 

O  the  vexation  that  this  report  occasioned !  He  now 
looked  back  on  the  tedious  labors  which  he  for  a  long 
time,  "  lo  many  years,"  had  faithfully  performed  in  the 
service  of  his  father,  without  even  a  kid  to  make  merry 
with  his  friends.  All  this  he  compared  with  the  ease, 
and  pleasure  in  which  his  prodigal  brother  had  passed 
In-  time,  and  wasted  his  father's  property,  and  the  ex- 
pensive  entertainment   and  sumptuous  feasting  with 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  301 

which  his  father  had  welcomed  him  on  his  return. 
Such  was  the  vexation  of  this  toil-worn  laborer,  on 
hearing  this  report,  that  "he  was  angry  and  would 
not  go  in."  No.  he  would  not  go  into  his  own  house, 
he  would  not  refresh  himself  on  his  own  provisions,  he 
would  not  return  to  his  own  rest.  His  father  came 
out  and  entreated  him,  but  to  no  effect,  of  which  we 
are  informed. 

My  friends,  what  was  the  matter  which  caused  this 
anger  and  vexation  ?  It  was  simply  this,  the  father's 
compassion,  his  mercy  and  grace  to  the  sinner,  was 
like  an  overflowing  scourge,  was  like  a  storm  of  hail 
to  the  malevolent,  unmerciful  sentiments  of  this  self- 
righteous  bigot,  who  felt  as  if  he  could  have  rejoiced  to 
see  his  brother  excluded  from  all  mercy. 

It  seems  next  to  impossible,  that  any  should  not  un- 
derstand this  case,  and  see  the  difference  between  the 
doctrine  of  the  self-righteous,  and  that  doctrine  of  di- 
vine grace,  which  gave  such  offence  to  the  enemies  of 
Jesus. 

Such  was  their  offence,  such  their  vexation,  that 
they  finally  procured  the  death  of  the  Lord  of  glory. 
But  by  this  means  they  were  preparing  for  still  greater 
vexation. 

**  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way, 
His  purpose  to  perform." 

After  they  had  crucified  the  merciful  Jesus,  they 
made  careful  exertions  to  prevent  his  disciples  impos- 
ing on  the  people  a  report  of  his  resurrection.  A 
stone  was  set  at  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre,  and  a 
guard  of  soldiers  to  watch. 

How  hush,  how  still  is  the  world !  Every  thing  ,s 
now  secure.  No  multitudes  now  flocking  in  crowds 
to  hear  the  preaching  of  Jesus,  no  poor  blind  one  gro- 
ping after  him  who  could  give  sight  to  the  blind,  none 
rushing  along  the  streets  with  their  sick,  lame,  and  pos- 
sessed of  devils,  to  find  him  who  controled  all  maladies, 
no  little  children  in  the  streets,  crying  hosannah  to  the 
son  of  David,  blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  ot 
the  Lord.     Where  are  the  disciples  of  the  crucified 


26 


302  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

Jesus?  They  have  fled,  like  timorous  lambs  from 
prowling  wolves.  None  dare  show  themselves.  The 
powers  of  darkness  seem  to  triumph. 

The  scene  changes,  all  Jerusalem  is  in  astonishment. 
The  disciples  are  publicly  preaching  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus  ;  are  endowed  with  the  holy  ghost  and  the 
gift  of  tongues,  so  that  men  of  all  nations  hear  them 
speak  in  their  own  language,  the  wonderful  works  of 
God. 

The  report  of  these  things  must  have  vexed  the 
chief  priests,  the  elders,  the  scribes  and  the  pharisees 
beyond  all  description.  They  now  saw  all  their  efforts 
fail,  and  their  hopes  blasted.  The  apostles  accused 
them  of  having  murdered  Jesus,  whom  God  had  anoint- 
ed ;  they  performed  most  astonishing  miracles  in  con- 
firmation of  their  testimony.  When  Peter  and  John 
restored  the  lame  man  in  the  temple  before  all  the 
people,  and  declared  that  this  miracle  was  wrought 
through  faith  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  whom  God  had 
raised  from  the  dead,  these  enemies  of  the  gospel  were 
"  grieved  that  they  taught  the  people,  and  preached 
through  Jesus  the  resurrection  of  the  dead." 

After  this  manner  the  word  of  God  prospered,  the 
gospel  spread  ;  and  though  it  was  the  rain  of  righteous- 
ness and  the  gentle  dew  of  peace  divine  to  those  who 
had  professed  no  religion,  had  formed  no  covenant 
with  death,  nor  agreement  with  hell,  yet  to  the  phari- 
sees, to  the  scribes,  to  the  chief  priests,  and  to  the  el- 
ders it  was  an  overflowing  scourge,  it  was  as  a  storm 
of  hail  that  beats  the  tender  herb  to  the  earth. 

The  report  of  the  conversion  of  Saul,  of  his  renounc- 
ing their  superstitions,  deserting  the  cause  of  persecut- 
ing the  name  of  Jesus,  and  his  preaching  the  gospel 
to  the  gentiles,  was  calculated  to  give  them  much  per- 
plexity and  great  vexation  ? 

Thus  far,  dear  friends,  we  have  noticed  things  which 
took  place  in  ancient  times ;  let  us  now  inquire  if 
any  thing  similar  is  known  in  our  day?  Yes,  we  have 
those  who  profess  the  name  of  Jesus,  say  unto  him, 
Lord,  Lord,  and  yet  are  of  the  sentiments  and  descrip- 
tion ot  the  old  Pharisees.     They  have  made  a  covenant 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  303 

with  death  and  an  agreement  with  hell.  Death  and 
hell  compose  their  religion.  Do  they  not  hide  them- 
selves in  a  refuge  of  lies  ?  Do  they  not  for  a  pretence 
make  long  prayer  ?  but  devour  widows  houses  ?  Do 
they  not  appear  like  vvhited  sepulchres  outward,  and 
yet  within  are  they  not  full  of  extortion  ?  Do  they 
not  lie  with  their  countenances,  by  disfiguring  their 
faces  ?  Did  you  never  see  professors  of  religion  wear 
a  very  different  face  at  one  time  than  at  another  ? 
Yes,  you  reply,  but  you  thought  it  was  because  they 
were  a  most  godly  people.  Then  you  have  given 
them  their  reward,  for  this  opinion  of  yours  is  all  that 
they  disfigured  their  faces  for. 

These  modern  pharisees  are  the  most  zealous  people 
in  religion,  they  look  upon  themselves  as  the  favorites 
of  heaven,  but  those  who  do  not  subscribe  to  their 
agreements  and  covenants,  and  take  shelter  in  their 
refuge  of  deceit,  they  esteem  as  objects  of  the  divine 
wrath  which  is  ready  to  burst  upon  them,  and  lingers 
to  blast  them  in  everlasting  woe. 

To  these  enemies  of  the  meek,  humble,  kind  and 
merciful  doctrine  and  religion  of  Jesus,  the  report, 
which  God  is  sending  forth  at  this  eventful  period,  of 
his  impartial  grace,  and  his  tender  mercies  which  are 
over  all  his  works,  is  a  most  grievous  vexation. 

When  the  divine  testimony  is  brought  to  them, 
which  certifies  that  God  "will  have  all  men  to  be 
saved,  and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  truth," 
that  Jesus  "gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  to  be  testi- 
fied in  due  time,"  that  "  where  sin  abounded,  grace 
did  much  more  abound,"  that  "as  by  the  offence  of 
one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation  ; 
even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came 
upon  all  men  unto  justification  of  life,"  that  "  as  in 
Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive," 
in  power,  in  glory,  in  honor,  in  incorruption  and  im- 
mortality, this  faithful  report  is  a  vexation. 

Stung  with  resentment,  they  exclaim,  heresy,  delu 
sion,  a  dangerous  doctrine,  a  doctrine  pleasing  to   the 
carnal  mind,  and  which  tends  to  all  manner  of  vice. 


304  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

They  complain  that  this  doctrine  holds  out  no  reward 
for  righteousness  ;  if  God  has  mercy  on  the  sinner, 
then  there  is  no  encouragement  to  serve  him ;  if  sin- 
ners are  not  to  be  punished  eternally,  it  is  no  matter 
what  they  do.  So  murmured  the  laborers  who  bore 
the  burthen  and  the  heat  of  the  day,  at  the  good  man 
who  humbled  their  pride  by  making  the  last  equal  with 
them. 

Their  eye  was  evil  because  goodness  had  extended 
beyond  the  narrow  limits  of  their  creed.  They  had 
lotted  on  the  gratification  which  they  expected  in 
seeing  those,  who  spent  so  much  of  their  time  in  idle- 
ness, destitute  and  pennyless.  Similar  calculations 
are  now  made,  and  pretended  saints  are  exulting  in 
the  expectation  of  the  joys  which  they  are  to  inherit 
in  heaven  in  seeing  sinners  in  endless  perdition. 

So  complained  the  elder  brother,  because  his  father 
kindly  received  the  prodigal,  and  killed  for  his  enter- 
tainment the  fatted  calf.  Such  was  his  resentment 
that  he  would  not  go  into  the  house.  Similar  resent- 
ment is  now  manifested,  and  the  proud  boasting  Phar- 
isee is  heard  to  say  "  If  sinners  are  going  to  heaven, 
I  wish  not  to  bear  them  company." 

O  that  these  deceived  souls  could  be  introduced  to, 
and  form  an  acquaintance  with  so  great  strangers  as 
they  are  to  themselves. 

Then  should  we  hear  from  them  a  different  lan- 
guage. Then  would  they  say,  if  there  be  mercy  for 
sinners,  then  is  there  a  ray  of  hope  for  us.  If  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  then  are  we 
the  objects  of  his  unmerited  favor. 

My  christian  friends,  you  are  most  humbly  and 
affectionately  entreated  not  10  construe  the  faithful- 
ness of  this  discourse,  to  signify  that  the  speaker  har- 
bors one  unfriendly  feeling  towards  any  denomination 
or  name  in  the  world.  The  sole  object  is  to  set  truth 
before  you,  to  show  the  difference  between  true  and 
false  religion,  to  endear  the  character,  the  doctrine, 
and  spirit  of  Jesus  to  your  hearts ;  and  to  give  you  oc- 
casion to  trust  and  to  rejoice  in  his  grace. 


BALLOuTs    LECTURES.  305 

"  Let  Pharisees  of  high  esteem, 
Their  faith  and  zeal  declare  ; 
All  their  religion  is  a  dream, 
If  love  be  wanting  there." 

God  is  love,  and  love  vvorketh  no  ill.  Through  all 
worlds,  and  to  all  beings,  God  is  love.  With  him 
there  is  no  variableness,  nor  shadow  of  turning.  What 
he  has  been,  and  what  he  is  now,  is  what  he  will  for- 
ever remain. 

Let  us,  my  dear  friends,  imitate  our  Father  in 
heaven ;  let  us  love  our  neighbors  as  ourselves,  let  us 
'ove  our  enemies  and  pray  for  them. 


26* 


LECTURE    XXII. 

god's   unchangeable   love    to  sinners  the  cause 

of    Christ's  mission. 

ROMANS,  v.  8. 

But  God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us.  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sin- 
ners, Christ  died  for  us. 

The  general  subject,  on  which  the  Apostle  labored, 
which  led  him  to  the  statement  made  in  our  text,  was 
to  show  that  the  justification  of  man  unto  spiritual  life, 
depended  on  a  covenant  of  promise,  and  not  on  a  law 
of  works.  In  the  preceding  chapter  our  author  is  re- 
markably explicit,  where  he  says  ,  "  Now  to  him  that 
worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of 
debt.  But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on 
him  that  justineth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for 
righteousness."  And  speaking  of  the  faith  of  Abra- 
ham, even  before  circumcision,  he  says,  "  For  the  pro- 
mise that  he  should  be  the  heir  of  the  world,  was  not 
to  Abraham  or  to  his  seed,  through  the  law,  but 
through  the  righteousness  of  faith.  For  if  they  which 
are  of  the  law  be  heirs,  faith  is  made  void,  and  the 
promise  made  of  none  effect.  Therefore  it  is  of 
faith  that  it  might  be  by  grace ;  to  the  end  the 
promise  might  be  sure  to  all  the  seed :  not  to  that  only 
which  is  of  the  law,  but  to  that  also  which  is  of  the 
faith  of  Abraham,  who  is  the  father  of  us  all."  The 
faith  of  which  the  Apostle  here  speaks,  is  the  same 
which  he  calls  "  the  covenant  of  promise"  in  Ephe- 
Biana  ii.  12.  It  is  an  egregious  mistake  to  suppose 
thai  Abraham's  believing  in  the  promise  of  God,  is  the 
"  righteousness  of  faith,"  by  which  he  was  constituted 
the  heir  of  the  world  ;  for  Abraham  could  not  believe 
the  promise  that  he  should  be  the  heir  of  the  world  un 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  307 

til  such  promise  was  communicated  to  him,  and 
this  promise  could  not  have  been  communicated  to 
him,  at  an  earlier  date  than  the  establishment  of  its 
own  truth  in  the  purpose  of  him  who  made  the 
promise. 

This  covenant  of  promise  is  the  faith,  of  which  the 
Apostle  again  speaks  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter 
as  follows;  "Therefore,  being  justified  by  faith,  we 
have  peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
That  this  faith,  by  which  we  are  justified,  is  not  our 
act  of  believing,  will  appear  evident  by  the  connexion 
in  which  the  Apostle  here  places  it.  That  we  may 
understand  this  subject  clearly,  we  must  disregard  the 
division  of  these  two  chapters,  and  read  the  last  verse 
of  the  fourth  chapter  and  the  first  of  the  fifth  together. 
Speaking  of  Jesus,  the  Apostle  says,  "Who  was  deliv- 
ered for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justi- 
fication. Therefore  being  justified  by  faith,  we  h  ve 
peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
Here  it  is  evident  that  the  inspired  Apostle  makes  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  and  the  faith  by  which  we  are 
justified  the  same  ;  by  which  it  is  evident,  that  by 
faith  he  no  more  meant  the  act  of  believing,  than  he 
meant  that  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  for  our  justifica- 
tion, was  the  act  of  believing. 

This  faith,  which  is  the  covenant  of  promise,  the 
Apostle  distinguishes  most  clearly  from  the  act  of  be- 
lieving in  chapter  3d,  as  follows  ;  "  For  what  if  some 
did  not  believe  ?  shall  their  unbelief  make  the  faith  of 
God  without  effect?  God  forbid:  yea,  let  God  be 
true,  but  every  man  a  liar."  No  one  will  suppose 
that  the  faith  of  God  is  his  act  of  believing,  for  the  act 
of  believing  is  a  consequence  resulting  from  the  pow- 
er of  evidence  in  the  mind,  which  power  can  never  act 
in  the  mind  of  him  who  is  omniscient.  But  this  faith 
of  God  is  his  covenant  of  promise,  made  known  to 
Abraham  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  before  the 
giving  of  the  law  by  Moses  ;  concerning  which  cove- 
nant our  author  speaks  to  the  Galatians  as  follows  ; 
"And  this  I  snv,  that   the  covenant  that  was  confirm- 


308  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

ed  before  of  God  in  Christ,  the  law,  which  was  four 
hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  cannot  disannul,  that 
it  should  make  the  promise  of  none  effect."  This  cov- 
enant of  promise  this  author  again  calls  faith  in  the 
11th  of  Hebrews.  "Now  faith  is  the  substance  of 
things  hoped  for  and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen." 
The  substance  of  what  we  hope  for  is  not  our  act  of 
believing,  but  the  thing  in  which  we  believe. 

It  was  thought  needful  to  be  thus  particular  on  this 
subject,  for  two  reasons. 

I.  To  expose  the  common  error  which  supposes, 
that  our  act  of  believing  is  required  as  a  condition  of 
our  justification  before  God.  This  error  has  so  con- 
fused the  minds  of  professors  of  Christianity,  that  they 
know  not  how  to  explain  their  own  thoughts.  They 
believe  that  God  requires  our  act  of  believing  as  a 
condition  of  our  justification  ;  and  it  is  constantly  held 
up  and  urged  that  our  everlasting  destruction  will  be 
the  just  recompense  of  our  unbelief.  But  if  we  ask 
what  there  is  for  us  to  believe,  there  is  no  answer. 
For  if  the  thing  to  be  believed  were  stated,  the  next 
question  would  be,  shall  the  unbelief  of  man  make  the 
faith  of  God  without  effect  ?     And, 

II.  Because  it  was  in  the  fulfilling  of  his  covenant 
of  promise,  that  God  commended  his  love  to  sinners 
by  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Jesus. 

The  particular  mode  by  which  the  Apostle  present- 
ed the  testimony  contained  in  our  text  was  by  drawing 
a  comparison  between  the  compassion  or  goodness  of 
man,  and  the  compassion  or  goodness  of  God.     The 
following  are  his  words ;    "  For  when  we  were    yet 
without  strength,  in  due   time  Christ  died   for  the  un 
godly.     For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die; 
yet  perad venture  for  a  good  man  some  would   even 
dare  to  die.     But  God  commendeth  his  love  towards 
us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for 
us."     Here  the  comparison  is  clear  and  striking  to  the 
mind ;  and  evidently    shows    that    the   design   of  the 
Apostle  was  to  show  that    the  love  of  God  to  sinners 
is  vastly  stronger  than  the  love  of  man  toward  man. 
The  first  particular  which  we  shall  consider  as  prov 


BALLOU's    LECTURES.  309 

ed  by  the  testimony  of  our  text  is,  that  neither  sin  nor 
any  thing  else  was  ever  the  cause  of  enmity  in  God  to- 
ward man. 

Though  this  proposition  is  of  immense  consequence, 
it  seems  to  have  been  overlooked  by  our  divines,  who 
have  constantly  represented  the  divine  Being  to  be  full 
of  wrath  and  tremendous  indignation  against  sinners. 
And  yet  the  passage  under  consideration  is  a  direct 
and  plain  testimony  against  all  that  has  ever  been  said 
on  this  subject. 

The  hearer  is  requested  to  notice,  with  attention, 
the  two  propositions  which  are  in  direct  opposition  to 
each  other,  and  which  are  the  foundations  of  true  and 
false  doctrine.  One  proposition  asserts  that  God  loves 
sinners,  and  that  nothing  ever  can  cause  him  to  do 
otherwise  ;  and  the  other  contends  that  God  hates  the 
sinner,  and  will  eternally  exercise  unmerciful  wrath 
on  the  transgressor.  If  one  of  these  be  true,  the  other 
must  be  false ;  they  cannot  both  be  true,  nor  can  they 
both  be  false.     But  which  is  true  ? 

As  there  is  like  to  be  some  dispute  on  this  subject, 
and  as  the  hearer  will  wish  to  have  it  so  conducted, 
as  to  make  a  clear  distinction,  both  between  the  par- 
ties, and  their  respective  arguments,  we  will  give  to 
the  parties  distinguishing  names.  The  party,  who 
contends  that  God  loves  the  sinner,  we  will  call  Light, 
and  the  one  who  contends  for  the  contrary  proposi- 
tion we  will  call  Darkness. 

Do  you  ask  why  these  names  are  chosen?     Because 
light  seems  to  be  expressive  of  love,  and  darkness  of 
hatred.     And  the  beloved  John  says,  "  He  that  loveth 
his  brother  abideth  in  the  light — But  he  that  hateth  his 
brother  is  in  darkness." 

Let  us  hear  what  darkness  argues  in  support  of 
his  favorite  proposition,  viz.  that  God  hates  the 
sinner. 

He  says,  as  God  is  a  Being  of  infinite  holiness  and 
purity  he  cannot  love  unholiness  and  impurity,  but 
must,  consistently  with  his  own  essential  attributes, 
hate  sin  in  an  exact  proportion  to  his  love  of  righteous- 
ness;  and  as  the  sinner  is   not   righteous,   but  sinful; 


310  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

is  not  holy,  but  unholy  ;  is  not  pure,  but  impure,  God 
must  of  necessity  hate  the  sinner. 

Light  replies ;  Though  I  grant  your  premises,  yet  I 
cannot  concede  to  your  conclusion.  So  far  from  al- 
lowing your  conclusion  to  be  a  just  deduction  from 
your  premises,  I  shall  contend  that  it  is  in  direct  oppo- 
sition to  them,  and  if  it  could  be  maintained  as  a  truth, 
it  must  be  by  disproving  the  argument  from  which  you 
deduce  it. 

The  amount  of  your  argument  is,  that  God  is  oppos- 
ed to  sin.  This  I  grant.  Now  tell  me,  Darkness,  what 
is  sin  ? 

Sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law.  What  does  the 
law  require?  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. 

Rightly  answered.  Now,  Darkness,  do  you  not  see 
that  hatred  is  the  transgression  of,  and  the  only  sin 
that  can  be  committed  against  this  law  ?  If  it  be  sin 
for  man  to  hate  God,  is  it  holiness  for  God  to  hate 
man?  In  room  of  hating  sin,  you  contend  that  God 
hates  the  sinner,  that  is,  he  hates  the  man  who  hates 
him.  Thus  you  deny  your  own  premises.  For  there 
is  no  more  holiness  in  God's  hating  man,  than  there  is 
in  man's  hating  God  ;  there  is  no  more  righteousness 
in  any  supposed  enmity  in  God  toward  man,  than  there 
is  in  man's  enmity  toward  God. 

Darkness  says,  that  this  argument  is  blasphemy,  that 
it  accuses  God  with  unholiness  and  sin. 

Light  denies  the  charge,  and  says ;  It  is  you,  Dark- 
ness, that  accuses  God  with  this  unholy  spirit  of  ha- 
tred. To  illustrate  the  subject  light  uses  the  following 
metaphor. 

The  parent  of  a  family  of  children  gives  to  his  off- 
spring a  law  which  requires  them  all  to  love  him  sin- 
cerely, and  to  love  each  other  ;  but  these  children  fall 
out  by  the  way,  get  wrong  notions  respecting  their 
parent's  character  and  law,  and  are  filled  with  hatred 
toward  him,  toward  his  law,  and  toward  one  another. 
In  consequence  of  this  the  parent,  in  room  of  loving 
his  children  as  he  did  when  he  first  gave   them  this 


BALLOIj's    LECTURES.  311 

law,  now  hates  them  and  is  full  of  enmity  towards  his 
disobedient  offspring.  What  a  sad  scene  is  here  ! 
The  children  are  enemies  to  their  parent,  and  what 
is  worse,  the  parent  is  an  enemy  to  his  children ! 

Let  candor  judge  in  this  case,  let  enlightened  rea- 
son decide  the  question,  which  is  worst,  for  the  child 
to  hate  the  parent,  or  for  the  parent  to  hate  the  child  ? 
Though  the  light  shineth  in  darkness,  yet  the  darkness 
comprehendeth  it  not. 

If  the  death  of  Christ  for  sinners  was  a  commenda- 
tion of  the  love  of  God  toward  us,  it  certainly  proves, 
beyond  all  contradiction,  that  sin,  nor  any  thing  else 
had  caused  any  hatred  or  enmity  in  God  toward 
man. 

The  second  thing  which  we  shall  consider  as  prov- 
ed by  the  declaration  of  our  text  is,  that  the  common 
opinion  and  doctrine  of  the  church,  which  has  repre- 
sented the  death  of  Christ  as  necessary  in  order  to  re- 
concile God  to  mankind  is  erroneous. 

This  error  has  been  exposed  and  disproved  in  some 
of  our  former  lectures,  but  as  it  is  an  error  of  such 
vast  magnitude,  involving  such  palpable  absurdities, 
representing  God  as  a  changeable  Being ;  and  as  it  is 
so  generally  believed  among  various  denominations, 
it  seems  proper  to  notice  it  in  our  discourse  from  the 
words  under  consideration,  by  which  the  error  is  so 
fully  exploded. 

The  error  under  consideration  supposes,  that  man- 
kind in  consequence  of  sin,  was  under  the  divine  wrath 
of  God,  which  required  the  endless  misery  of  the  trans- 
gressor :  and  that  Jesus  Christ  suffered  the  wrath  of 
God  in  room  and  stead  of  the  sinner,  by  which  God 
became  reconciled  and  satisfied.  The  statement  is 
made  thus  plain,  that  the  hearer  may  have  a  distinct 
view  of  the  subject,  and  be  able  to  judge  after  hearing 
what  may  be  offered  on  it. 

That  this  testimony  is  by  no  means  too  high  colored, 
may  be  seen  by  the  following  quotations  from  our 
hymns.  But  before  we  attend  to  the  quotations,  let  it 
be  observed,  that  we  hold  these  hymns,  in  general,  in 
high  estimation,  and  the  authors  of  them  as  bright  and 


312  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

shinin"  licrhts  in  the  christian  constellation  ;  but  after 
all  we  are disposed  to  do  ourselves  justice  by  gathering 
the  good  into  vessels,  and  by  casting  the  bad  away. 

"  Once  we  were  fallen,  O  how  low; 
Just  on  the  brink  of  endless  wo. 

Sinners  to  save  from  endless  woes, 
The  wrath  divine  he  sinks  beneath. 

Think,  how  his  side  was  pierced  for  you, 
T'  appease  the  wrath  divine. 

He  on  Calvary's  summit  died: 
God,  your  Father  satisfied. 

Sinner's  to  s.ive  from  endless  wo, 
The  Father's  frown  he  sinks  beneath 

'T  is  finish'd — Heaven  is  reconcil'd. 

The  wrath  of  an  offended  God, 
In  sweet  oblivion  laid. 

And  sinners  freed  from  endless  pains, 
Own  him  their  Saviour  and  their  head." 


Here  are  endless  woes,  endless  pains,  Divine  wrath, 
the  Father's  wrath,  the  wrath  of  an  offended  God,  an 
unreconciled  heaven,  all  which  stood  threatening  man- 
kind, but  were  poured  forth  on  the  devoted  head  of 
Jesus,  by  which  we  are  saved  from  the  wrath  of  God. 
My  brethren,  such  language  as  this  certainly  repre- 
sents our  Father  in  heaven,  to  be  a  changeable  Being, 
and  a  Being  capable  of  exercising  the  greatest  possible 
enmity.  It  supposes  that  our  merciful  Father  was  so 
full  of  wrath,  that  he  was  just  on  the  point  of  sending 
mankind  to  a  state  of  endless  wo,  when  Jesus  stept  be- 
tween us  and  harm,  snatched  the  thunderbolt  from 
(he  uplifted  hand  of  stern  justice,  and  received  its 
burning  vengeance  in  his  own  innocent  bosom,  at  which 
God  was  satisfied. 

This  is  the  theme  our  christian  doctors  have  incul- 
cated, and  our  christian  poets  have  sung,  but  it  is  the 
blackness  of  darkness  which  has  obscured  the  beauty 
of  the  Divine  countenance  for  ages,  and  caused  the 
mind  to  wander  in  the  labyrinth  of  error. 

This  error  is  found  in  that  creed,  which  lay  on  our 
Cradles  in  our  infancy,  and  our  dear  mothers  taught 
us  to  repeat  with  infant  lips,  and  to  say,  "All  mankind 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  313 

oy  the  fall,  lost  communion  with  God,  are  under  his 
wrath  and  curse ;  and  so  made  liable  to  all  the  mise- 
ries of  this  life,  to  death  itself,  and  to  the  pains  of  hell 
forever." 

In  opposition  to  this  erroneous  representation,  let 
us  place  our  text  together  with  a  few  concurrent 
passages. 

"  But  God  ccmmendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that, 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.  God 
so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  oegotton 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  should  not  per- 
ish, but  have  everlasting  life.  Herein  is  love,  not  that 
we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son 
to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  But  God,  who 
is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved 
us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins  hath  quickened 
us  together  with  Christ." 

These  passages,  which  are  but  a  specimen  of  the 
gospel,  fully  prove  the  following  facts. 

I.  That  God  loved  the  sinful  world  of  mankind  with 
a  great  love. 

II.  That  in  consequence  of  this  love  he  sent  his 
Son  into  the  world  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins, 
And, 

III.  That  in  consequence  of  the  love  which  God  had 
toward  those  who  were  dead  in  sins,  he  quickened 
them  together  with  Christ.  Now  just  as  plain  as  these 
obvious  facts  are  proved  by  the  testimony  already  re- 
cited, so  evident  it  is  that  the  death  of  Christ  was  nev- 
er necessary  to  reconcile  our  heavenly  Father  to  us ; 
but  was  a  manifestation  of  his  unchangeable  love  to- 
ward us. 

The  third  particular  which  you  are  invited  to  con- 
template relative  to  our  text  is,  that  its  subject  belongs 
to  that  covenant  of  promise  which  was  the  Apostle's 
theme  which  led  him  to  speak  these  words.  That  we 
may  have  a  clear  view  of  this,  let  us  first  examine  the 
character  of  the  promise  made  to  Abraham,  by  which 
he  was  constituted  the  heir  of  the  world  and  the  Fath- 
er of  us  all;  and  then  bring  our  text  to  compare  with 
the  promise,  that  their  union  may  be  visible.  The  pro- 
27 


314  BALLOU's    LECTURES. 

mise  to  Abraham  reads  thus,  "  In  thee  shall  all  fami- 
lies of  the  earth  be  blessed."     St.  Paul's  comment  on 
this  promise  in  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians   is   as  fol- 
lows, "  And  the  scriptures,  foreseeing  that  God   would 
justify  the  heathen  througli  faith,  preached  before  the  . 
gospel  unto  Abraham,  saying,  in  thee  shall  all  nations 
be  blessed."     By  this  passage  we  learn,  that  the   bles- 
sing which  God  promised  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
was  justification  through   faith ;  which  faith   we   have 
proved  to  be  the  covenant  of  promise,  or  the   faith 
of  God  which  cannot  be  made  void  by  the  unbelief  of 
man.     Relative  to  this  justification   our  Apostle  says 
to  the  Romans ;  "  For  all  have  sinned  and   come  short 
of  the  glory  of  God  ;  being  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."     And 
again,  in  the  chapter  where  our  text  is  recorded,  he 
says;  "  Therefore,  as  by  the  offence  of  one,  judgment 
came  upon  all  men  unto  condemnation,  even  so  by  the 
righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men 
unto  justification  of  life." 

In    the  light  of  the    divine   promise   to   Abraham, 
which  the  passages  here  quoted   present,   we  can  see 
most  clearly,  that  the  gospel  of  eternal  life  was  pro- 
mised to  all  mankind,  as  the  bountiful,   unbought,   un- 
asked favor  of  our  heavenly  Father.     And   this   favor, 
when  stated  in  promise   to  Abraham,  was,   as   it  now 
remains,  the  necessary  production   of  the  divine,   un- 
changeable love  of  God  to  mankind,  which  never  was, 
nor  can  be  made  less  by  the  sin  of  the  world.     Having, 
this  view  of  the  goodness  of  God,   we  see   the  divine 
harmony  of  our  text  with  the  covenant   of  promise. 
"  God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in   that,   while 
we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for   us."     The   same 
covenant  love  which  was  manifested  to  Abraham   four 
hundred  and  thirty  years  before  the  giving  of  the  law, 
by  Moses,  is  now  commended   toward  mankind,  while 
yet  in  sin,  by  the  death  of  him  in  whom  all  the  fami- 
lies of  the  earth  are  blessed  with  justification.      In  re- 
lation to  this  divine   subject  Jesus  said   to   the   Jews  ; 

Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day  ;  ana 
he  saw  it,  and  was  glad." 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  315 

The  fourth  particular  subject  belonging  to  our  text, 
to  which  your  attention  is  solicited,  is  embraced  in  the 
following  question  :  Why  did  Christ  die  for  us  ?  We 
have  already  proved  that  there  was  no  necessity  of  his 
dying  in  order  to  procure  the  favor  of  God  toward  sin- 
ners, for  if  that  had  been  the  case,  his  death  could  not 
have  been  a  commendation  of  the  divine  love.  And 
indeed,  if  there  were  any  need  of  more  proof  on  this 
subject,  than  has  been  presented,  we  should  find  all 
deficiencies  supplied,  by  the  prayer  of  Jesus  when  dy- 
ing on  the  cross. 

Let  us,  my  friends,  with  profound  solemnity,  listen 
to  these  words,  which  contain  more  true  divinity,  more 
pure  unadulterated  gospel,  than  all  the  creeds  which 
have  been  written  since  the  world  began.  "  Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  Why 
did  he  not  say ;  "  Father,  forgive  them,  for  I  have  now 
suffered  thy  wrath  which  burned  against  them  ;  I  have 
drank  the  cup  of  thy  fury  which  was  prepared  for 
them  ;  I  have  borne  that  they  may  never  bear  thy 
righteous  ire  ?  "  If  all  this  had  been  true,  why  should 
he  pray  as  he  did,  and  request  that  God  would  for- 
give them  ?  If  the  Father  had  exacted  a  full  penalty 
for  their  sins,  of  his  son,  how  could  he  after  this  be 
called  on  to  forgive  them  ?  But  the"  reason,  the  plea 
which  the  dying  Saviour  stated  in  his  prayer,  was, 
11  For  they  know  not  what  they  do." 

Our  question  remains.  Why  did  Christ  die  for  us? 
How  are  we  benefitted  by  his  death  ?  Be  patient,  we 
still  reply  in  the  negative.  Christ  did  not  die  for  us, 
that  we  might  avoid  condemnation  if  we  commit  sin, 
nor  did  he  surfer  for  us,  that  we  might  not  be  pun- 
ished for  faults  if  we  commit  them.  This  we  know  by 
our  experience  and  by  his  word.  We  know  by  ex- 
perience, if  we  sin  we  feel  condemned,  and  this  we 
must  feel  until  the  condemnation  is  removed  by  re- 
pentance. And  we  know  by  the  words  of  Jesus,  that, 
in  place  of  his  suffering  in  our  room  and  stead,  as 
our  erroneous  doctrines  have  taught  us,  he  will  render 
unto  every  man  according  to  his  works. 

Why  then  did  he  die  for  us  ?  The  answer  is  in 
our  text.     He  died  to  commend  the  love  of  God   to- 


316  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

ward  us  sinners.  He  died  for  us,  that  he  might  take 
away  our  sins.  "  Behold  the  lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  He  died,  the  just 
for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God.  He 
suffered  for  us,  to  set  us  an  example,  that  we  should 
follow  his  steps.  He  died  for  us,  that  he  might  bring 
life  and  immortality  to  light  through  his  resurrection. 
He  died,  rose  and  revived,  that  he  might  be  Lord, 
both  of  the  dead  and  the  living.  He  died  and  rose 
again,  that  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets  might  be  ful- 
filled, and  the  ministry  of  reconciliation  be  established. 
He  suffered  and  died  to  show  us  how  sin  and  all  moral 
evil  are  to  be  overcome,  by  rendering  good  for  evil,  love 
for  hatred,  kindness  for  unkindness,  and  mercy  for  wrath. 
Four  important  particulars  may  be  distinctly  noticed 
which  rendered  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ  of 
vast  utility  to  mankind. 

I.  To  commend  and  make  known  the  unchangeable 
love  and  mercy  of  God  to  a  sinful  world,  theieby  to 
bring  sinners  to  repentance  and  to  be  reconciled  to  God. 

II.  To  fulfil  all  that  the  prophets  had  written  con- 
cerning him,  that  the  authenticity  of  divine  revelation 
and  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  might  be  successfully  com- 
municated to  the  gentile  nations. 

III.  That  the  patient  sufferings  which  he  endured 
for  the  benefit  of  his  enemies  and  the  whole  world,  might 
ever  remain  as  an  example  for  his  disciples  to  imitate, 
in  all  faithfulness,  patience,  and  resignation  to  the  will 
of  God.     And, 

IV.  That  he  might  bring  life  and  immortality  to 
light  by  his  glorious  resurrection  ;  and  manifest  the 
truth  of  a  future  happy  existence  for  mankind. 

If  the  mind  will  be  serious  and  candid,  it  will  at 
once  acknowledge  that  these  four  particulars,  when 
viewed  in  their  harmony  and  proper  connexion,  when 
considered  in  relation  to  the  innumerable  blessings 
which  they  have  already  produced,  and  promise  to 
produce  in  future,  are  altogether  worthy  of  the  wis- 
dom, power,  and  goodness  of  our  heavenly  Father. 

But  to  pretend  that  it  was  necessary  for  Christ  to 
Buffer  and  die  to  appease  the  wrath  of  our  merciful 
Father  in  heaven,  is  the  most  unaccountable  perversion 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  317 

of  divine  truth,  of  which  the  vain   imagination  of  be 
nighted  humanity  was  ever#capable. 

The  fifth  particular  subject  to  which  our  text  seems 
to  invite  our  most  careful  notice  is,  that  the  love  and 
mercy  of  God  toward  sinners,  commended  to  us  by  the 
death  of  Christ,  is  consistent  with  the  unchangeable 
principle  of  moral  righteousness. 

Ifmight  be  thought,  that  in  order  to  establish  this 
hypothesis,  nothing  more  could  be  required  as  evi- 
dence than  the  text  under  consideration.  For  if  we  are 
certified  that  the  divine  being  does  in  fact  love  sinners, 
that  is  sufficient  evidence  that,  it  is  morally  right  that  he 
should  do  so  ;  but  our  present  object  is  to  do  more  than 
barely  to  prove  the  fact,  the  object  is  to  illustrate  it  to  the 
understanding.  To  do  this  we  will  first  admit  our  op- 
poser's  objection  to  be  stated.     The  objection  is  this  ; 

According  to  the  strict  rule  of  moral  righteousness, 
every  moral  being  must  be  treated  according  to  his 
works;  but  if  God  does  in  reality  love  sinners,  if  he 
grants  them  the  infinite  blessings  of  his  grace,  it  seems 
that  he  does  not  deal  with  them  according  to  their  de- 
serts.    Reply 

It  is  granted  that  moral  righteousness  requires  that 
every  transgression  and  disobedience  should  receive  a 
just  recompense  ot  reward,  Dut  then  it  must  be  grant- 
ed, that  as  the  right  to  inflict  punishment  is  derived 
from  the  commission  of  crime,  so  it  is  limited  by  the 
offence  committed,  and  it  is  an  acknowledged  fact  that 
to  extend  punishment  beyond  the  demerit  of  a  crime, 
is,  at  least,  as  wide  a  departure  from  moral  right  as  to 
come  short.  But  the  right  to  do  good  and  to  show 
kindness  is  not  derived,  nor  is  it  limited. 

In  finite  beings  the  power  and  means  to  do  good  and 
to  show  favor  are  limited,  but  the  right  is  not  limited. 
And  in  every  instance  in  which  our  power  and  means 
are  limited  to  grant  all  the  favor  that  is  needed,  we 
have  the  liberty  still  to  extend  our  benevolent  wishes 
without  limitation. 

If  one  of  our  fellow  creatures  commits  a  crime  which 
is  punishable  by  law,  it  is  true,   we   have   no  right  to 
prevent  this  punishment,   but   we   have  an   unlimited 
27  * 


318  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

rio-hl  to  love  this  criminal,  and  beyond  all  the  punish- 
ment of  his  crime,  to  wish  him  well,  and  if  in  our 
power,  to  do  him  all  the  good  that  he  may  need. 
Now,  in  punishing  him  according  to  his  offence  moral 
righteousness  is  perfectly  executed,  but  it  now  has  all . 
the  right  and  all  the  inclination  to  love  and  do  the  sub- 
ject good,  as  it  had  before  any  crime  was  committed. 

St.  Paul,  speaking  of  God  says  ;  "  Who  hath  saved 
us  and  called  us,  with  an  holy  calling,  not  according 
to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and 
grace,  which  was  given  unto  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before 
the  world  began."  Before  the  world  began,  who  can 
dispute  that  God  had  a  moral  right  to  purpose  a  dis- 
pensation of  grace  to  mankind  ?  Or  who  will  contend, 
that  his  right  to  love  and  to  do  good  to  the  creatures 
which  he  should  create,  could  be  in  the  least  limited  by 
what  they  might  do  after  they  should  be  brought  into 
being  ? 

A  parent  has  an  unlimited  right  to  love  an  infant  child, 
he  has  a  right  to  bestow  on  it  an  immense  fortune, 
even  before  the  child  has  any  knowledge  of  its  parents. 
Nor  does  this,  in  the  least  interfere  with  either  his  right 
•or  duty  to  subject  this  same  child  to  a  reasonable  and 
righteous  discipline,  in  which  the  child  may  be  re- 
warded for  well  doing,  and  chastised  for  its  disobe- 
dience. 

Thus  in  the  eternal  mind  of  our  Creator,  a  bound- 
less store  of  divine  riches  was  treasured  up  for  his  ra- 
tional offspring,  before  man  was  brought  into  being ; 
and  among  ten  thousand  other  favors,  God  appoint- 
ed a  rod  of  correction,  and  a  dispensation  of  chas- 
tisement for  the  improvement  and  moral  benefit  of 
mankind,  while  passing  through  a  state  of  imperfection, 
subject  to  vanity. 

The  sixth  and  last  particular,  which  we  now  propose 
to  make  of  our  text,  is  to  contemplate  its  sentiment 
as  a  pattern  for  our  imitation,  and  as  a  principle  worthy 
to  be  practised. 

This  is  the  use  which  the  Apostle  John  has  made  of 
the  same  sentiment,  expressed  in  a  passage  which  has 
already  been   noticed  in   this   discourse.     "Herein  is 


BALLOU  S    LECTURES.  319 

love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and 
sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins." 
From  this  rich  and  glorious  sentiment  the  Apostle 
draws  the  following  conclusion.  "  Beloved,  if  God  so 
loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another."  Cer- 
tainly there  cannot  be  a  more  reasonable  inference 
drawn  from  any  proposition  ever  laid  down  than  the 
one  which  the  Apostle  here  draws  from  the  love  of 
God  to  mankind.  If  we  had  good  reason  to  believe 
that  our  Father  in  heaven  really  hated  his  enemies  or 
those  who  do  not  love  him,  if  we  were  consistent  with 
such  a  belief,  we  should  hate  all  those  whom  we  view- 
ed of  this  description.  And  this  has  been  the  case  in 
the  christian  church  as  well  as  through  the  world. 
Men  have  hated  and  persecuted  one  another  on  this 
mistaken  notion  ;  and  verily  thought  they  did  God  ser- 
vice by  so  doing.  But  if  we  are  convinced  that  God 
loved  us,  while  we  were  yet  enemies  to  him  by  wicked 
works,  and  if  we  believe  that  he  loves  every  sinner  of 
the  human  family,  and  that  he  has  manifested  this  love 
by  the  death  of  his  holy  child  Jesus,  it  is  all  as  clear  as 
the  sun  in  a  cloudless  day,  that  we  ought  to  love  our 
enemies,  and  to  do  them  all  the  good  that  is  in  our 
power.  And  to  do  otherwise,  my  christian  friends,  is 
to  deny  our  religion  and  our  doctrine,  and  that  in  a 
more  effectual  manner  than  Peter  denied  his  Lord. 

To  conclude.  Our  subject  presents  before  our 
rejoicing  eyes,  a  boundless  scene  of  divine  grace ;  it 
invites  us  to  the  sweetest  field  of  contemplation,  where 
goodness,  unlimited  goodness,  mercy,  unlimited  and 
impartial  mercy  eternally  flow  as  broad  rivers  and 
streams ;  as  waters,  risen  waters  for  men  to  swim  in, 
which  no  man  can  pass. 

Let  us  close  with  the  appropriate  words  of  the  poet : 

"  When  all  thy  mercies,  O  my  God, 
My  rising  soul  surveys ; 
Transported  with  the  view,  I  'm  lost, 
In  wonder,  love  and  praise." 


LECTURE     XXIII. 

THE    RESURRECTION    A    STATE  OF    HOLINESS   AND  BLISS, 
i  1  TIJESSALONIANS,  iv.  13, 

But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  them  which 
are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as  others  which  have  no  hope. 

Lv  a  world  of  sorrow,  in  a  state  of  being  incident 
to  tf*}  infinite  variety  of  adversity  with  which  man  is 
exercised,  as  nothing  can  be  more  needed,  so  nothing 
is  esteemed  more  precious  than  that  which  is  calculat- 
ed to  mitigate  our  sorrows,  soothe  our  grief,  and  sweet- 
en adversity.  To  do  these,  and  to  strow  the  thorny 
path  of  mortal  life  with  the  rose  of  consolation,  and  to 
open  in.  the  parched  ground  of  hopeless  sorrow  a  liv- 
ing spring  of  ceaseless  joy,  the  gospel  of  eternal  life 
has  been  sent  from  God  to  man. 

As  the  parental  sensibilities  are  moved  with  pity 
at  the  sorrows  of  their  offspring  in  affliction,  and  as  such 
an  occasion  is  visited  with  special  tokens  of  compas- 
sion, so  hath  it  pleased  the  Father  of  our  spirits  to 
break  through  the  dark  clouds  of  mortality  and  death 
with  the  rain-bow  of  his  covenant  and  to  send  his 
anointed  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted  and  to  comfort 
all  that  mourn. 

In  possession  of  the  knowledge  of  the  unseen,  eter- 
nal things,  belonging  to  the  spiritual  inheritance  of  the 
rational  offspring  of  God,  and  exercised  with  that  gen- 
eious  affection  and  those  kind  sympathies  which  ever 
seek  the  benefit  of  others,  it  was  impossible  for  the 
Apostle  to  stand  an  indifferent  spectator  of  hopeless 
sorrow,  when  in  possession  of  that  divine  knowledge  by 
which  a  celestial  cordial  of  consolation  might  be  sea- 
sonably administered. 


BALLOIj's    LECTURES.  321 

But  in  order  to  administer  consolation  to  those  who 
are  exercised  with  adversity  or  sorrow,  it  is  necessary 
that  the  cause  should  be  understood  and  likewise  the 
extent  of  grief.  Unless  the  physician  understands  the 
cause  of  complaint,  and  the  extent  of  disease,  it  would 
be  mere  chance  if  he  did  not  give  force  to  the  former, 
and  enhance  the  latter  by  his  prescriptions.  The  case 
of  the  woman  in  the  gospel  is  an  instance  of  what 
we  are  now  observing.  Twelve  years  was  she  troub- 
led with  her  disorder,  "  and  had  suffered  many  things 
of  many  physicians,  and  had  spent  all  that  she  had, 
and  was  nothing  the  better,  but  rather  grew  worse." 
But  when  she  came  to  Jesus  she  was  made  whole 
without  suffering  any  thing  of  him,  and  without  ex- 
pense. 

The  cause  of  that  kind  of  sorrow  which  the  Apostle 
was  desirous  to  prevent  appears  to  be  ignorance.  Ob- 
serve the  text ;  "  But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ig- 
norant, brethren,  concerning  them  which  are  asleep, 
that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as  others  which  have  no 
hope." 

The  particular  subjects  suggested  by  these  words, 
and  to  which  our  future  labors  in  the  present  discourse 
may  be  directed  are  the  following. 

I.  Ignorance  concerning  those  which  are  asleep,  is 
the  only  cause  of  hopeless  sorrow  for  them. 

II.  The  knowledge  of  the  truth  concerning  those 
which  are  asleep  administers  hope  and  comfort  to  those 
who  mourn  for  their  friends. 

III.  This  knowledge  is  communicated  in  the  gospel, 
through  Jesus  Christ. 

There  are  two  powers  by  which  ignorance  operates 
in  the  human  mind,  in  a  way  to  prevent  happiness 
and  to  augment  sorrow,  even  to  despair.  The  first 
prevents  our  knowing  the  things  which  belong  to  our 
peace,  and  the  second  opens  a  door  for  an  infinite 
variety  of  imaginations  all  calculated  to  administer  afflic- 
tion and  to  cause  our  sorrows  to  increase. 

The  mind  that  is  destitute  of  knowledge  and  at  the 
same  time  devoted  to  fearful  imagination,  is  like  one 
disturbed  by  a  frightful  dream. 


322  BALLOU'S  LECTURES. 

Safely  slumbering  in  the  peaceful  chamber  of  re- 
pose, and  no  danger  nigh,  one  might  dream  of  de- 
scending a  declivity  directly  leading  to  a  fatal  preci- 
pice, view  destruction  as  inevitable,  and  feel  the  pang 
of  despair  ;  and  the  whole  difficulty  end  with  the  sud^ 
den  interruption  of  the  dream.  In  fact,  though  there 
were  every  possible  reason  for  sweet  content,  support- 
ing confidence,  and  joyful  hope,  ignorance  of  all  these 
things  would  not  only  prevent  these  blessings,  but 
expose  the  mind  to  a  thousand  imaginary  anticipations 
which  belong  to  the  family  of  despair. 

A  few  examples  from  the  scriptures  may  serve  fur 
ther  to  illustrate  this  subject. 

There  were  three  particular  events  relative  to  the 
patriarch  Jacob,  his  ignorance  of  which  was  the  cause 
of  the  greatest  anxiety,  most  fearful  apprehensions, 
and  hopeless  sorrow.  When  he  was  informed  that 
his  brother  Esau,  whom  he  had  supplanted,  was  com- 
ing to  meet  him  with  four  hundred  men,  he  feared 
the  wrath  of  his  injured  brother,  and  his  soul  was 
greatly  troubled  for  his  wives  and  for  his  children. 
There  was  no  way  of  escape  by  flight,  his  means  to 
oppose  his  brother  were  nothing;  he  feared  all  was  lost, 
and  that  the  anger  of  his  brother  would  blot  out  his 
name  forever  from  under  heaven.  Now  imagination 
presented  before  his  almost  distracted  eyes  the  most 
shocking  catastrophe  to  which  mothers  and  their  in- 
nocent children  could  possibly  be  exposed.  His  fear- 
ful heart  melted  within  him,  and  he  placed  his  devot- 
ed family  in  the  order  in  which,  if  they  must  be  de- 
stroyed; his  choice  would  dictate,  and  in  that  arrange- 
ment which  might  possibly  afford  him  an  opportuni- 
ty of  saving  such  as  were  the  most  dear  to  his  trou- 
bled heart.  But  how  suddenly  were  his  fears  all  dis- 
pelled when  Esau  ran  to  him,  embraced  him  with  fra- 
ternal affection  and  tenderness,  and  kindly  receiv- 
ed and  compassionately  treated  every  branch  of  his 
family. 

What  an  expense  of  feelings,  the  most  tormenting 
would  have  been  saved  in  this  case,  if  the  love  and 
forgiven oss,  which  most  bountifully  flowed  in  the  heart 


BALLOTj's    LECTURES.  323 

of  Esau  toward  his  brother,  had  been  known  to  him, 
whose  ignorance  of  the  truth  had  deprived  him  of 
peace,  and  had  let  a  thousand  frightful  apprehen- 
sions into  his  mind,  which  had  no  foundation  in  fact. 

It  might  be  about  ten  years  after  this,  that  the  sons 
of  Jacob  brought  to  their  father  the  coat  of  many  col- 
ors, which  his  beloved  Joseph  wore  from  home,  when 
he  went  to  seek  after  the  welfare  of  his  brethren.  This 
coat  they  now  presented  to  their  father,  torn  in  pieces 
and  covered  with  blood.  "  He  knew  it,  and  said,  it 
is  my  son's  coat ;  an  evil  beast  hath  devoured  him ; 
Joseph  is,  without  doubt,  rent  in  pieces.  And  Jacob 
rent  his  clothes,  and  put  sackcloth  upon  his  loins,  and 
mourned  for  his  son  many  days."  Yea  he  refused 
all  comfort  and  said  ;  "  I  will  go  down  into  the  grave 
unto  my  son  mourning." 

Who  can  describe  the  sorrow  which  preyed  on  the 
heart  of  the  afflicted  father  ?  Methinks  I  sec  him  seat- 
ed alone  beneath  some  favorite,  salutary  shade,  giving 
vent  to  his  grief  and  indulgence  to  his  tears.  He 
seems  to  ask ;  was  it  the  lion's  paw  that  struck  the 
tender  lad  to  the  ground,  or  was  it  the  hungry  jaw  of 
.the  merciless  tiger  that  dislocated  his  youthful  limbs,  or 
was  it  the  voracious  leopard  that  deprived  me  of  the 
desire  of  my  eyes  ?  O  cruel  ignorance !  what  dis 
tracting  imaginations  !  Could  Jacob  but  have  known 
that  his  Joseph  was  safe  in  the  hands  of  the  Angel  of 
God  who  protected  him,  hope  would  have  brightened 
his  countenance,  soothed  his  affliction,  and  administer- 
ed peace  and  joy  to  his  heart. 

In  the  days  of  the  famine,  when  the  sons  of  Israel 
were  to  go  down  to  Egypt  the  second  time,  and  when 
they  demanded  Benjamin  to  go  with  them,  how  trying 
was  all  this  to  the  heart  of  the  father  of  the  twelve 
tribes.  How  full  of  grief  are  his  words.  "  Joseph  is 
not,  and  Simeon  is  not,  and  ye  will  take  Benjamin 
away.  All  these  things  are  against  me."  Such  were 
the  hopeless  sorrows  of  one  who  was  ignorant  concern- 
ing the  subjects  of  his  sorrow.  At  the  very  moment 
when  this  dark  and  gloomy  aspect  lay  before  his  eyes, 
Joseph  was  lord  of  all  Egypt,   the  owner  of  the  vast 


324  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

graineries  in  that  land  of  plenty,  and  Simeon  was  safe 
in  the  hands  of  his  compassionate  brother ;  and  both 
were  waiting  with  fervent  desire  to  see  Benjamin.  Had 
the  venerable  Patriarch  known  at  this  time  the  truth, 
his  heart  would  have  leaped  for  joy,  as  it  afterwards 
did  when  his  children  returned  and  told  him  that  Jo- 
seph was  alive. 

In  the  several  cases  which  we  have  noticed,  it  is 
evident  that  the  ignorance  of  Jacob  was  that  which  not 
only  prevented  the  joyful  expectations  of  hope,  but  in- 
troduced the  most  tormenting  imaginations. 

Now  the  sentiment  of  our  text  supposes  that  this 
is  the  case  with  those,  who  being  ignorant  concern- 
ing them  that  are  asleep,  sorrow  for  them  without 
hope. 

There  are  two  opinions  concerning  those  who  are 
fallen  asleep  in  death,  and  but  two,  which  are  calculat- 
ed to  exercise  the  mourner  with  hopeless  sorrow. 

The  least  pernicious,  is  the  opinion  that  there  is  no 
future  existence  for  mankind.  When  a  person  of  this 
opinion  loses  by  death  any  near  and  beloved  connex- 
ion there  are  two  grounds  of  sorrow.  The  first  is  the 
loss,  the  eternal  loss  of  such  a  desirable  connexion,  and 
the  other  is  the  everlasting  extinction  of  this  intellect- 
ual moral  being.  And  it  is  impossible  that  either  of 
these  reflections  should  be  accompanied  with  the  least 
ray  of  hope.  Is  it  a  father  or  a  mother,  a  wife  or  a  child, 
a  brother  or  a  sister,  of  which  the  mourner  is  bereaved? 
And  was  this  connexion  most  dearly  and  tenderly  be- 
loved ?  What  a  gloomy  thought,  to  believe  that  death 
has  blotted  out  of  existence  one  so  tenderly  and  affec- 
tionately beloved,  must  present  an  impenetrable  cloud 
of  darkness  to  the  mind,  that  forbids  its  making  the  least 
advance,  repels,  and  drives  it  back  on  its  perishable 
self,  and  yawns  to  receive  the  hopeless  mourner  to  the 
abyss  of  nonentity. 

Enough,  you  say,  dwell  not  a  moment  on  such  hor- 
ror. But  what  shall  we  say  ?  the  other  opinion,  which 
denies  the  consolation  of  hope  to  the  mourner  is,  that 
our  future  existence  is  worse,  far  worse  than  no  exist- 
ence at  all.  Such  are  the  dismal  horrors  of  everlast- 
ing misery  in  the  coming,  eternal  state,  which  the  tra- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  325 

ditions  of  the  church  have  handed  down  from  genera- 
tion to  generation,  as  have  rendered  the  thoughts  of 
eternity,  thoughts  of  horror. 

Is  it  replied,  that  our  traditions  admit  that  some 
few  of  the  human  family  will  be  happy  hereafter,  and 
therefore  when  our  friends  die,  we  may  entertain  a  hope 
that  they  belong  to  this  little  favorite  number? 

We  reply ;  an  absurdity  is  no  just  ground  of  hope. 
If  but  a  few  of  the  human  family  are  appointed  unto 
salvation,  it  is  absurd  for  all  to  hope  that  they  belong 
to  that  little  number.  It  is  a  circumstance  that  affords 
matter  of  much  contemplation  ;  and  one  from  which 
human  weakness  and  human  selfishness,  may  be  learn- 
ed, that  go  where  you  will,  among  whatever  denomi- 
nation of  people,  even  among  those  who  hold  the  most 
illiberal  sentiments,  and  believe  that  not  more  than  one 
out  of  a  thousand  will  be  happy  hereafter,  yet  if  they 
lose  any  of  their  friends  by  death,  they  hope  they  are 
gone  to  rest.  There  are  in  this  metropolis,  no  doubt, 
a  very  respectable  number  of  pious  people,  who  believe 
without  a  doubt,  that  when  the  Saviour  said  ;  "  many 
are  called,  but  few  are  chosen,"  he  meant  that  but  a 
few  of  the  whole  family  of  mankind  are  elected  unto 
everlasting  life  in  the  eternal  world  ;  and  yet  when 
these  people  are  visited  with  bereaving  providences, 
and  any  of  their  connexions  are  taken  away  by  death, 
they  hope  it  is  well  with  them  hereafter.  You  cannot 
find  one,  in  any  possible  case  who  will  say  to  the 
contrary.  Fathers,  mothers,  wives,  children,  brothers, 
sisters,  near  friends,  intimate  acquaintances,  none  of 
them  will  admit  the  doctrine  of  everlasting  misery,  in 
which  they  believe,  to  apply  to  each  other,  nor  to 
themselves.  And  yet,  according  to  their  creed,  they 
have  not  the  least  ground  for  the  hopes  which  they 
entertain. 

If  you  ask  these  people  what  reason  they  have  foi 
the  least  comfort,  they  will  say ;  we  do  not  know 
whom  God  has  reprobated,  and  therefore  we  do  not 
know  that  our, friends  or  ourselves  are  appointed  unto 
wrath.  Thus  their  ignorance  concerning  them  that 
are  asleep,  in  most  of  instances,  according  to  their 
-23 


326  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

creed,  is  the  sole  reason  why  they  are  not  distracted 
with  gloomy  and  black  despair. 

Were  this  creed  of  limited  salvation,  and  the  doc- 
trine of  the  endless  misery  of  a  great  part  of  mankind 
the  truth  of  the  divine  economy,  and  could  the  vail  of 
ignorance  concerning  them  that  are  gone  from  this 
mortal  state  be  removed,  what  language  could  possi- 
bly describe  the  horrors  and  the  lamentations  which 
would  be  the  unhappy  consequence  of  such  a  mani- 
festation ? 

We  have  heard  the  heart-rending  moans  and  melt- 
ing sighs  of  those,  whose  dear  connexions  were  toiling 
under  the  burden  and  lash  of  slavery.  Their  interjec- 
tions would  seemingly  move  the  stones  to  pity.  What 
to  these  people  is  the  sumptuous  fare  of  the  board  of 
plenty  ?  or  what  to  them  is  the  bed  of  down?  or  what 
to  them  are  the  thousands  they  possess  ?  All  would 
they  give  could  the  father,  child  or  brother,  as  the 
case  might  be,  return  to  freedom  and  home.  But 
compared  with  the  dire  scenes  of  eternal  misery  under 
consideration,  all  this  is  no  more  than  the  weight  of  a 
pebble  to  that  of  the  ponderous  globe. 

Do  you  believe  this  doctrine?  O  tell  it  not  to  the 
mourner.  If  you  do  not,  and  cannot  believe  it  for 
yourselves  ;  if  you  can  believe  it  only  for  others,  why 
tell  it  to  them  ?  Can  they  bear  to  believe  it  for  them- 
selves and  for  their  friends,  any  more  than  you  can  en- 
dure to  believe  it  for  yourselves  and  for  those  whom 
you  love? 

It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  as  the  creed  under  con- 
sideration requires  people  in  general  to  be  ignorant 
concerning  them  that  are  asleep,  in  order  for  them  to 
have  any  hope  in  the  days  of  their  mourning,  it  is  ex- 
actly the  reverse  of  the  sentiment  of  our  text,  which 
supposes  that  to  be  ignorant  concerning  them  who  are 
asleep,  exposes  us  to  sorrow  without  hope ;  and  on 
the  contrary  that  the  true  knowledge  concerning  the 
condition  of  such  would  be  a  source  of  divine  conso- 
lation. 

Let  us  direct  our  attention  in  the  next  place  to  as- 
certain that  knowledge  concerning  those  who  have  fall- 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  327 

en  asleep  in  death,  which  the  faithful  word  of  divine 
inspiration  affords. 

But  before  we  proceed  to  notice  any  particular  pas- 
sages, it  is  of  importance  that  we  begin  this  inquiry 
under  the  influence  of  proper  motives ;  and  it  is  like- 
wise necessary  that  in  the  pursuit  of  our  object,  we 
should  reason  with  due  reference  to  the  criterion  fur- 
nished by  our  text.  The  motives  which  ought  to  in- 
duce us  to  this  investigation  should  be  free  from  the 
influence  of  any  particular  creed,  from  embarrassments 
arising  from  prepossessions  for,  or  against  any  party 
opinions,  and  should  be  entirely  devoted  to  the  attain- 
ment of  the  truth,  the  promotion  of  the  honor  of  God, 
and  the  advancement  of  our  own  rational  and  intellec- 
tual happiness.  And  if  we  pursue  this  inquiry  with 
due  reference  to  the  criterion  furnished  by  our  text,  we 
shall  admit  nothing  as  true  which  is  calculated  to  de- 
stroy our  hope  concerning  those  who  are  asleep. 

The  words  of  Solomon  recorded  in  Ecclesiastes  seem 
to  be  direct  to  our  present  subject,  "So  I  turned,  and 
considered  all  the  oppressions  that  are  done  under  the 
sun  ;  and,  behold,  the  tears  of  such  as  were  oppressed, 
and  they  had  no  comforter ;  and  on  the  side  of  their 
oppresors  there  was  power ;  but  they  had  no  comfort- 
er. Wherefore  I  praised  the  dead  which  are  already 
dead,  more  than  the  living  which  are  yet  alive.', 

The  three  following  ideas  are  evidently  suggested  by 
the  passage  recited  : 

I.  In  relation  to  all  the  oppressions  done  under  the 
sun,  and  in  relation  to  all  the  oppressed,  and  all  the 
oppressors,  they  were  both  equally  destitute  of  com- 
fort. 

II.  The  condition  of  those  who  are  dead  is   bet- 
ter than  the   condition  of  those   who  are   yet  alive 
And, 

III.  There  is  no  just  occasion  for  our  mourning  be- 
cause our  friends  are  dead. 

It  may  be  proper  to  observe  here  that  we  do  not 
mean  that  we  have  no  just  cause  of  mourning  when  our 
friends  are  taken  from  us,  in  one  certain  sense.  We 
have  reason  to  sorrow  for  the  loss  of  their  sweet  and 


328  3ALL0U'S     LECTURES. 

agreeable  company  on  our  pilgrimage  of  mortal  life, 
but  on  their  account,  we  have  no  just  cause  to  mourn 
that  they  are  dead.  It  is  with  regret,  that  we  dismiss- 
our  children  from  the  happy  domestic  circle,  where  pa- 
rental love  and  filial  affections  have  been  the  blessing 
of  both  parents  and  children,  when  we  have  no  reason 
to  doubt  that  their  departure  is  necessary  for  their  fu- 
ture happiness  in  life,  and  the  tear  of  sensibility  marks 
the  adieu  which  sanctions  the  separation.  The  house 
they  leave  seems  lonesome  to  those  who  are  left  behind, 
and  yet  as  long  as  it  is  believed  by  parents  that  it  is 
best  for  their  children  to  be  away,  they  will  not  indulge 
a  disposition  to  wish  them  back. 

The  Apostle  in  our  text,  does  not  forbid,  nor  dis- 
suade his  brethren  from  sorrow  for  the  loss  of  their 
friends.  But  his  reasoning  was  to  prevent  their  sor- 
rowing without  hope.  And  it  is  certain  that  if  we 
have  the  same  opinion  concerning  the  dead,  that  Sol- 
omon expressed  in  the  passage  just  recited,  though  we 
may  feel  to  mourn  that  we  are  are  destitute  of  the 
society  of  those  we  tenderly  love,  yet  there  is  a  con- 
solation in  believing  that  they  are  better  off  than  the 
living. 

This  author,  speaking  in  another  passage  of  the  dis- 
solution of  the  body,  says ;  "  Or  ever  the  silver  cord 
be  loosed,  or  the  golden  bowl  be  broken,  or«the  pitch- 
er be  broken  at  the  fountain,  or  the  wheel  broken  at 
the  cistern  :  then  shall  the  dust  return  to  the  earth 
as  it  was  ;  and  the  spirit  shall  return  unto  God  who 
gave  it.'' 

What  can  give  more  rational  consolation  to  those 
who  mourn,  than  to  realize  that  the  spirits  of  their  de- 
parted connexions  are  with  God?  or  what  thought 
can  possibly  contribute  more  to  tranquilize  our  minds, 
and  prepare  us  to  meet  our  own  dissolution,  than  a 
confident  belief  that  we  shall  be  with  God  ?  To  be  in 
the  hands  of  a  God  of  infinite  wisdom,  power,  and 
goodness ;  to  be  disposed  of  according  to  his  will, 
which  is  boundles  goodness  and  mercy,  is  all  that  a 
reasonable  creature  can  possibly  desire;  and  of  this  we 
may  be  safely  persuaded. 


BALLOU's   LECTURES*  329 

When  the  Sadducees  questioned  our  Saviour  con- 
cerning the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  he  said  to  them  ; 
"  But  they  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain 
that  world,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  nei- 
ther marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage  ;  neither  can  they 
die  any  more  ;  for  they  are  equal  unto  the  angels  ;  and 
are  the  children  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  re- 
surrection. Now,  that  the  dead  are  raised,  even  Mo- 
ses showed  at  the  bush,  when  he  calleth  the  Lord  the 
God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God 
of  Jacob.  For  he  is  not  a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the 
living  ;  for  all  live  unto  him." 

By  the  authority  of  Jesus  we  are  here  certified,  that 
all  that  die  live  unto  God  in  the  resurrection,  and  are 
the  children  of  God,  equal  to  angels,  and  can  die  no 
more. 

When  we  consider  that  he  who  thus  testified  was 
sent  of  God  to  "bear  witness  unto  the  truth,"  that 
the  "  spirit  of  the  Lord  God  "  was  upon  him,  that  the 
Lord  anointed  him  to  bind  up  the  broken  hearted,  and 
to  comfort  all  that  mourn,  shall  we  hesitate  to  believe 
his  testimony  ?  There  certainly  is  no  subject  concern- 
ing which  the  divine  teacher  has  left  us  his  testimony 
which  is  of  greater  moment  than  this.  The  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection,  which  was  the  subject  of  de- 
bate between  him  and  the  Sadducees,  lies  at  the  foun- 
dation of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and  we  have  every  rea- 
son to  believe  that  he  was  explicit  when  he  refuted  and 
silenced  his  adversaries  on  a  question  of  such  impor- 
tance. We  may  further  remark,  that  there  is  not  the 
least  intimation  that  the  divine  teacher  spake  figura- 
tively or  parabolically  in  this  reply  to  the  Sadducees ; 
but  every  circumstance  relative  to  the  subject  which 
we  have  on  record,  goes  to  show  that  his  words 
are  to  be  understood  in  the  most  plain  and  obvious 

sense. 

We  may  now  notice  some  passages  from  the  wri- 
tings of  the  author  of  our  text  concerning  them  that 
are  asleep,  which  correspond  perfectly  with  the  words 
of  the  divine  teacher. 

To  the  Itomans  he  says  ;  "  For  he  that  is  dead  is 
28* 


530  BALLOTS    LECTURES. 

freed  from  sin."  This  information  concerning  those 
that  are  asfeep  seems  extremely  necessary  in  order  to 
administer  consolation  to  mourners.  If  we  may  make 
further  use  of  the  simile  of  our  children's  going  from 
us,  we  may  observe,  that  could  we  always  know  that 
they  would  fall  into  no  vicious  or  irreligious  habits, 
it  would  be  a  source  of  much  comfort.  Of  this  we 
are  certified  concerning  those  who  have  gone  from  this 
earthly  corruptible  state ;  they  are  freed  from  sin. 
The  temptations  of  the  flesh  will  no  more  allure,  inor- 
dinate appetites  no  more  entice,  unholy  desires  are 
extinct,  and  the  spirit  is  with  God  who  gave  it. 

To  the  Corinthians  this  author  says ;  "  For  we 
know  that,  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were 
dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  In  this 
mortal  state,  if  our  dwellings  are  superb  and  every  way 
convenient,  we  know  that  we  shall  enjoy  them  but  a 
little  time  ;  but  concerning  them  that  are  asleep,  they 
have  an  house  eternal  in  the  heavens.  Our  earthly 
house  of  this  tabernacle,  let  it  be  ever  so  beautiful, 
must  soon  crumble  to  dust,  and  all  the  loveliness  of 
mortal  flesh  is  but  a  flower  for  the  tomb.  Look  we  on 
our  sons  and  daughters,  and  pride  ourselves  in  their 
strength  and  beauty  ?  All  is  but  a  blossom  exposed  to 
the  blast  of  the  east  wind.  "  All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all 
the  goodliness  thereof  is  as  the  flower  of  the  field." 
But  heavenly  and  eternal  things  are  permanent. 

On  the  subject  of  a  future  state,  and  of  the  immor- 
tality of  that  constitution,  St.  Paul  has  said  more  in 
the  15th  chapter  of  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians 
than  is  recorded  by  any  other  writer  in  the  scriptures. 
His  first  argument  on  the  subject  establishes  the  resur- 
rection of  Christ,  his  second  shows  that,  as  in  Adam  all 
die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive,  and  his 
third  is  directed  to  the  consideration  of  the  immortal- 
ity and  glory  of  our  future  state.  On  these  subjects 
the  following  is  selected;  "But  now  is  Christ  risen 
from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first  fruits  of  them  that 
slept.  For  since  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came 
also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.     For  as  in  Adam  all 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  331 

die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  It  is 
sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorruption  ;  it  is 
sown  in  dishonor,  it  is  raised  in  glory ;  it  is  sown  in 
weakness,  it  is  raised  in  power  ;  it  is  sown  a  natural 
body,  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body.  The  first  man  is  of 
the  earth,  earthy  ;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from 
heaven.  And  as  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the 
earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly. 
For  this  corruptible  must  put  on.incorruption,  and  this 
mortal  must  put  on  immortality.  Then  shall  be  brought 
to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  death  is  swallowed 
up  in  victory. 

My  christian  friends,  if  we  may  safely  believe  what 
we  have  quoted  from  Solomon,  from  the  testimony  of 
of  our  divine  Redeemer,  and  from  his  eminent  servant 
St.  Paul,  concerning  them  that  are  asleep,  we  have 
every  consolation  that  we  could  reasonably  require.  If 
we  believe  that  the  spirit  goes  to  God  who  gave  it, 
that  the  dead  are  better  off  than  the  living,  that  all 
live  unto  God  in  the  resurrection,  and  are  equal  to  an- 
gels, that  they  die  no  more,  that  they  are  freed  from 
sin,  are  raised  in  power,  in  glory,  and  in  immortality, 
in  the  image  of  the  heavenly  man,  what  more  could  we 
ask  concerning  our  dear  connexions  which  have  gone 
before  us,  or  what  more  can  we  require  in  order  to 
tranquihze  our  minds  in  the  hour  of  death? 

On  the  other  hand,  let  us  ask  how  we  could  enjoy 
any  reasonable  consolation  concerning  them  which  are 
asleep,  if  what  we  have  proved  from  scripture  be  not 
believed  ? 

It  is  true  that  many  are  earnestly  contending  that 
the  doctrine  which  we  have  so  clearly  pointed  out  from 
the  faithful  word  of  truth,  is  a  doctrine  dangerous  to 
the  eternal  welfare  of  immortal  souls,  and  calculated 
to  lead  those  who  believe  it  into  every  kind  of  sin.  But 
how  can  this  be  the  case  ?  Is  it  supposable  that  a 
revelation  from  God  would  in  plain  terms  declare  that 
which  is  dangerous  to  our  eternal  welfare,  and  calcu- 
lated to  lead  us  into  sin  ?  This  is  a  reflection  against 
God.  Will  any  one  come  forward  and  acknowledge 
that  a  belief  in  all  this  grace  and  goodness  of  God 


332  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

would  lead  them  into  sin  ?  For  instance,  take  this 
passage  ;  "  He  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  sin."  Sup- 
pose a  person  believes  this  divine  truth,  would  this  be- 
lief induce  him  to  sin  now  ?  St.  Paul,  no  doubt  be- 
lieved it ;  did  it  lead  him  into  sin?  Suppose  the  fol- 
lowing case.  One  of  you,  my  hearers,  have  unhappily 
imbibed  a  strong  antipathy,  even  to  hatred,  against 
your  neighbor ;  a  friend  of  yours  comes  to  you  and 
tells  you  he  has  something  of  importance  to  communi- 
cate to  you.  You  accommodate  him  with  a  conve- 
nient opportunity,  and  he  says,  I  have  come  to  tell 
you  that  in  one  week  from  now,  you  and  your  neigh- 
bor, whom  you  now  so  much  dislike,  will  be  on  terms 
of  perfect  amity  and  peace,  he  has  always  been  your 
friend  and  will  certainly  convince  you,  that  in  room 
of  ever  having  injured  you,  he  has  been  the  means  of 
all  your  prosperities.  Suppose  you  believe  this  state- 
ment, would  your  belief  lead  you  to  hate  your  neigh- 
bor more  than  ever?  No,  it  would  have  a  directly 
contrary  effect ;  you  would  love  him  the  moment  you 
believed  it,  and  would  long  for  the  time  to  come  that 
you  might  embrace  him. 

When  Samuel  told  Saul  that  he  should  meet  a  com- 
pany of  prophets,  and  that  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  would 
wme  upon  him,  that  he  should  be  turned  to  another 
man,  and  prophecy  with  the  prophets,  this  did  not 
'lead  the  young  man  into  sin.  Did  Lhe  whole  of  this 
assembly  really  believe,  that  in  a  short  time  they  should 
be  in  a  state  of  immortal  holiness  and  felicity,  filled 
witli  the  love  of  their  heavenly  Father,  and  employed 
in  songs  of  everlasting  praise  to  God  and  the  lamb, 
such  a  belief,  my  friends,  would  now  work  by  love  and 
purify  our  hearts. 

But  the  wisdom  of  this  world  has  contrived  a  differ- 
ent way  to  make  men  love  God,  which  is  by  threaten- 
ing them  with  his  everlasting  displeasure.  It  has  in- 
vented the  most  horrible  reports  and  representations 
that  imagination  can  possibly  reach,  concerning  them 
that  are  asleep,  by  which  sorrow  is  augmented  to  de- 
spair. Sermons  lull  of  the  terror  of  eternal  misery, 
and  the  representations  of  the  dismal  state  of  the  dead 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  333 

are  delivered  to  enhance  the  sorrows  of  the  bereaved. 
Little  tracts  are  sent  to  people  gratis,  to  inform  them 
that  the  probability  is,  that  their  friends,  who  have  left 
this  world  are  in  a  state  of  torment.  It  is  impossible, 
on  considering  such  inventions  and  practices,  not  to 
think  of  the  torn,  the  bloody  coat  presented  to  Jacob, 
accompanied  with  these  words;  "  This  have  we  found  ; 
know  now  whether  it  be  thy  son's  coat  or  no."  How 
many  bereaved,  afflicted  mothers  have  read  these  tracts, 
and  almost  desparingly  exclaimed,  "  It  is  my  son's 
coat,"  without  doubt  my  departed  child  is  miserable. 

Never  did  our  blessed  Saviour  manifest  such  a  spirit, 
never  did  he  inculcate  such  doctrine.  He  who  wept 
by  the  tomb  of  Lazarus,  in  sympathy  with  mourning 
sisters,  who  declared  himself  the  resurrection  and  the 
life,  hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through 
the  gospel.  His  doctrine  is  full  of  consolation,  it  is 
full  of  that  hope  which  is  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  sure 
and  steadfast,  entering  into  that  within  the  vail,  where 
our  forerunner  hath  for  us  entered. 

My  friends,  while  looking  round  on  perishable  na- 
ture, while  contemplating  the  loss  of  our  dear  connex- 
ions who  have  gone  from  this  mortal  state,  let  us  "  lay 
hold  on  this  hope  which  is  set  before  us,"  that  we  may 
not  sorrow  concerning  them  which  are  asleep,  even  as 
those  who  have  no  hope.  But  let  us,  with  confidence 
in  God  our  Father,  and  in  Christ  our  Saviour,  sing, 
with  solemn  joy  in  the  words  of  Dr.  Watts ; 

"  Why  do  we  mourn  departing  friends 
Or  shake  at  death's  alarms  1 
'Tis  hut  the  voice  that  Jesus  sends 
kTo  call  them  to  his  arms. 


LECTURE    XXIV. 

<{  THE    RESURRECTION    OF     LIFE;"    AND  "  THE     RESUR- 
RECTION   OF    DAMNATION." 

JOHN  v.  23,  29. 

Marvel  not  at  this:  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  which  all  that  are  in  the 
graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth:  they  that  have  done  good, 
unio  the  resurrect  ion  of  life  ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil  unto  the  resurrec- 
tion of  damnation. 

Though  I  have  once  spoken  on  these  words  in  this 
place,  and  likewise  been  induced  to  explain  them  in  a 
controversy  that  was  published,  it  is  still  requested  by 
some  of  the  readers  of  these  lectures  that  this  passage 
should  be  noticed  before  the  volume  is  completed. 
And  as  the  common  use  of  this  text  is  in  opposition  to 
the  doctrine  set  forth  in  these  sermons,  and  especial- 
ly to  the  use  we  made  of  the  scriptures  in  our  last,  it 
is  thought  necessary  that  a  discourse  on  this  subject 
should  be  placed  next  in  order. 

This  passage  is  one  of  a  number  which  the  popular 
doctrine  of  the  church  has  applied  to  a  future  state  of 
condemnation  and  misery.  It  has  been  used  to  set 
forth  and  maintain  that  those  who  do  good  in  this 
world  will  be  raised  from  the  dead  hereafter  and  be 
justified  unto  life  in  an  immortal  constitution,  for  the 
good  works  which  they  did  in  this  world ;  and  that 
those  who  do  evil  in  this  mortal  state  will  be  raised,  at 
the  same  time,  into  an  immortal  constitution,  and  con- 
demned to  everlasting  misery  for  the  evil  they  did  in 
this  mortal  constitution. 

In  the  first  place  we  shall  surest  some  arguments 
against  the  doctrine,  for  the  support  of  which  this  text 

ha8   hern   used. 

In  this  doctrine  there  is  a  manifest  want  of  that  due 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  335 

connexion  between  cause  and  effect,  which  is  so  won- 
derfully displayed  in  the  natural  order  of  things. 
While  we  are  here  in  the  body,  if  we  feed  on  whole- 
some and  nourishing  food  the  natural  effects  are 
strength  and  health  of  body ;  but  if  we,  from  whatev- 
er cause,  feed  on  that  which  is  unwholesome  or  poison- 
ous, the  consequences  are  the  reverse  of  the  former, 
and  sickness  and  weakness  are  sure  to  follow.  But  it 
would  be  evidently  absurd  to  attempt  to  argue,  on 
physical  principles,  that  these  effects,  either  health  or 
sickness,  strength  or  weakness  will  be  experienced  in 
a  state  of  immortality  after  this  corruptible  shall  have 
put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  have  put  on 
immortality.  Now  it  is  plain  from  the  scriptures,  that 
all  sin,  all  wickedness,  and  all  evil  doings  are  the 
works  of  the  flesh  ;  and  there  appears  no  more  reason 
for  supposing  that  the  effects  of  these  works  are  to  ex- 
tend into  the  immortal  state,  than  for  supposing  that 
the  effects  of  wholesome  or  unwholesome  food  are  to 
extend  to  that  state. 

If  one  sow  grain  in  a  field  in  New-England,  it  fol- 
lows of  natural  consequence  that  the  harvest  will  be 
gathered  from  the  same  field ;  but  there  appears  no 
natural  connexion,  as  between  cause  and  effect,  be- 
tween sowing  grain  in  this  country  and  gathering  a 
harvest  from  it  in  Europe.  St.  Paul  says;  "  He  that 
soweth  to  his  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption." 
This  seems  perfectly  natural,  because  "  whatsoever  a 
man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  But  to  argue 
that  corruption  may  be  gathered  from  an  incorrutible 
state  is  to  argue  against  the  very  nature  of  things. 

The  apostle  to  the  Romans  is  explicit  on  this  sub- 
ject, where  he  says  ;  "  There  is,  therefore,  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who 
walk  not  after  the  flesh  but  after  the  spirit." 

By  this  it  is  evident  that  condemnation  cannot  exist 
any  longer  than  men  walk  after  the  flesh.  But  none 
pretend  that  any  of  the  human  family  will  walk  after 
the  flesh  in  that  incorruptible  state  of  which  the  apos- 
tle speaks,  where  he  says  ;  "  This  corruptible  shall  put 


336  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall  put  on  im- 
mortality." 

We  can  easily  discern  the  natural  connexion  be- 
tween all  the  vices  which  are  practised  by  men,  and 
the  infelicities  which  these  vices  introduce  into  society, 
and  the  unhappiness  they  occasion  to  those  who 
practise  them  ;  but  it  is  totally  impossible  to  trace  the 
connexion  between  these  vices  and  a  state  of  perma- 
nent miserv  in  an  immortal  state. 

Secondly ;  as  this  opinion  of  a  state  of  immortal  hap- 
piness  for  the  good  works  of  men  in  this  life,  and  a 
state  of  endless  misery  for  their  evil  works  while  here 
is  supposed  to  fall  under  the  notice  of  those  scriptures 
which  teach  us  that  God  will  render  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  works,  it  seems  proper  that  we  look  to 
see  if  we  can  find  such  a  proportion  between  the  vir- 
tues which  are  practised  in  this  life  and  a  state  of  im- 
mortal felicity,  and  between  the  vices  committed  here 
and  a  state  of  endless  torment  as  will  justify  this  doc- 
trine. The  moment  this  inquiry  is  proposed  the  ab- 
surdity of  the  doctrine  appears ;  for  there  is  a  much 
nearer  proportion  between  the  labor  of  one  hour  and 
the  wealth  of  the  whole  world  as  its  reward,  than  can  be 
seen  between  all  the  good  works  which  a  man  could  per- 
form during  a  long  life,  and  a  recompense  of  an  im- 
mortal state  of  complete  happiness.  Nor  is  there  so 
great  a  proportion  between  all  the  sins  which  one  could 
possibly  commit  in  this  life  and  the  recompense  of  a 
state  of  endless  misery,  as  between  the  smallest  ofTence 
ever  committed  on  earth  and  a  retaliation  of  the  most 
severe  and  protracted  tortures  which  could  be  inflicted 
in  this  mortal  state.  These  statements  are  self-evident 
facts,  which  we  know  to  be  true  as  well  as  we  know 
that  a  day  is  not  as  long  as  a  year,  or  that  one  grain  is 
not  equal  to  a  ton  weight. 

According  to  the  scriptures,  we  are  authorised  to  be- 
lieve, that  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  in  this  life  are  far 
too  great  to  be  considered  as  being  according  to  our 
works.  St.  Paul  says;  "Who  hath  saved  us,  and 
called  us  with  an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our 
wot KB,  but  according  to  his  own   purpose  and  grace 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  337 

which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world 
began."  Again  the  same  author  says;  "  Not  by  works 
of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to 
his  mercy  he  saved  us."  Now  if  the  salvation  obtain- 
ed in  this  life  by  the  grace  of  God  is  too  great  to  be 
considered  according  to  our  works,  there  surely  is  not 
the  shadow  of  propriety  in  supposing  that  a  state  of 
permanent  felicity  in  the  eternal  world  is  according  to 
our  works  in  this.  But  the  proportion  between  our 
good  works  in  this  world  and  a  state  of  endless  happi- 
ness in  the  next  is  as  near  as  between  our  sins  here  and 
a  state  of  endless  misery  hereafter. 

Thirdly  ;  this  doctrine  of  endless  rewards  and  pun- 
ishments is  involved  in  an  insuperable  difficulty  for  the 
want  of  the  power  to  distinguish  between  the  meet  sub- 
jects for  these  respective  rewards. 

What  will  this  doctrine  do,  for  instance,  with  David, 
king  of  Israel?  That  he  did  evil,  and  that  to  a  most 
heinous  degree  is  evident  from  the  faithful  records  of 
scripture.  Now  if  they  who  in  this  life  have  done  evil 
are  to  be  raised  into  an  immortal  state  of  misery,  Da- 
vid, king  of  Israel,  will  be  thus  raised  to  condemna 
tion.  Will  it  be  said  that  David  became  a  good  man, 
and  did  many  good  things  after  he  committed  the 
abominations  which  are  recorded  of  him  ?  This  we 
are  happy  to  acknowledge  ;  but  what  does  this  prove, 
only  that  David  was  like  other  men,  and  and  some- 
times did  that  which  was  right  and  sometimes  that 
which  was  wrong  ?  For  another  instance,  where  will 
the  doctrine  under  consideration  place  St.  Paul  in  the 
eternal  state  ?  That  he  did  evil  in  this  world  the  scrip- 
tures as  fully  prove  as  they  prove  any  thing.  But  it  will 
be  said  that  this  man  was  reformed  and  became  a  good 
man  ;  this  too  we  are  happy  to  acknowledge,  but.  what 
more  does  this  prove  than  that  St.  Paul  was  like  Da- 
vid, and  like  other  men,  a  changeable  creature  !  who 
sometimes  did  right,  at  other  times  wrong  ?  The  fact 
is,  as  was  fully  shown  in  our  lecture  on  the  recom- 
pensing of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  in  the  earth, 
all  men  are  in  some  degree  righteous  and  in  some  de- 
gree wicked.  And  it  follows  that  if  all  that  do  good 
29 


338  BALLOU S     LECTURES. 

in  this  world  are  to  be  eternally  happy  hereafter,  all 
mankind  will  be  happy;  and  on  the  other  hand,  if  all 
who  do  evil  in  this  life  are  to  be  endlessly  miserable 
in  the  next,  all  men  will  be  thus  miserable  ! 

Fourthly  ;  the  doctrine  under  consideration  is  absurd 
in  that  it  supposes  that  the  good  works  and  virtues 
of  men  in  this  imperfect  state  are  more  meritorious 
than  the  perfect  and  permanent  virtue  which  will  char- 
acterize the  blessed  in  heaven  ;  for  if  that  immortal 
state  of  holiness  and  felicity  is  merited  by  the  virtue 
imperfectly  practised  in  this  mortal  state,  there  remains 
no  merit  in  the  virtues  practised  in  the  future  world, 
nor  any  reward  for  that  superior  degree  of  righteous- 
ness. And  on  the  other  hand,  this  doctrine  involves 
another  absurdity,  in  that  it  recompenses  the  sins  of 
this  life  with  a  state  of  endless  and  positive  misery, 
but  reserves  no  punishment  for  the  sins  of  which  the 
souls  of  the  miserable  will  be  guiky  in  that  state  where 
they  will  sin  without  restraint.  Why  should  imper- 
fect righteousness  merit  an  eternity  of  happiness,  and 
yet  perfect  righteousness  merit  nothing?  Why  should 
the  sins  of  this  life  be  recompensed  w7ith  a  state  of 
everlasting  or  eternal  misery,  and  the  entire  sin  of  the 
eternal  world  go  forever  unpunished  ? 

Once  more ;  this  doctrine  maintains  that  God  will 
punish  his  rational  offspring  without  mercy,  without 
designing  their  reconciliation  or  profit.  This,  of  all 
the  objections  which  we  have  to  the  doctrine  under 
consideration  is  the  greatest.  This  supposes  that  God 
possesses  a  worse  disposition,  and  practises  greater  cruel- 
ty than  the  wicked  possessor  practice.  All  the  cruelties 
of  heathen  idolatry  are  tender  mercies,  in  comparison 
with  the  cruelty  attributed  to  our  heavenly  Father  by 
this  doctrine.  People  are  deceived  by  the  names  which 
superstition  uses  to  identify  this  cruelty  in  God,  but 
the  name  of  a  thing  alters  not  its-nature.  Vindictive 
wrath,  holy  anger,  retributive  justice,  are  terms  used  to 
designate  a  property  of  the  divine  nature  which,  when 
examined  impartially,  and  without  a  superstitious  awe, 
i-  found  to  be  worthy  of  no  better  name  than  unmer- 
ciful malevolence  !     To  attribute  such  a  quality  or  char- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  339 

acter  to  God,  we  view  as  the  vilest  act  that  moral 
darkness  has  ever  produced ;  and  we  reject  the  senti- 
ment with  the  deepest  horror. 

Let  it  be  distinctly  noticed  here,  that  this  argument 
does  not  lie  between  the  doctrine  of  endless  punish- 
ment, and  no  punishment  for  sin ;  we  have  all  along 
in  these  lectures  maintained  that  sin  is  punished,  but 
we  find  that  it  is  punished  in  the  world  where  it  is, 
and  not  in  an  immortal  state  where  it  is  not. 

Having,  as  was  proposed,  suggested  a  {ew  argu- 
ments against  the  doctrine  for  the  support  of  which 
our  text  has  been  generally  used,  our  next  labor  will 
be  directed  to  bring  the  portion  of  scripture  under  con- 
sideration before  the  hearer  in  connexion  with  such 
other  passages  as  relate  to  events  which  evidently  be- 
long to  the  present  state  of  existence,  but  where  lan- 
guage signifying  a  resurrection  is  used  ;  at  the  same 
time  carefully  comparing  with  them  those  passages 
which  evidently  relate  to  a  resurrection  into  an  immor- 
tal state,  that  it  may  be  clearly  understood  that  the 
latter  and  former  classes  of  scripture  cannot,  with  any 
propriety,  be  applied  to  the  same  event. 

The  arguments  to  which  we  have  attended  in  this 
discourse,  are  designed  to  show  that  the  text  under 
consideration  ought  not  to  be  applied  in  the  usual  way, 
by  showing  that  the  doctrine  supported  by  it  when  so 
used  is  not  true.  The  arguments  now  designed  will 
go  to  show  that  the  scriptures  make  use  of  words  sig- 
nifying a  resurrection,  in  a  figurative  sense,  when  noth- 
ing beyond  this  mortal  state  is  intended,  that  the  pas- 
sage under  consideration  is  of  this  description  ;  and 
that  it  is  proved  to  be  so  by  comparing  it  with  other 
passages  which  evidently  have  their  application  in  time, 
and  also  by  comparing  it  with  passages  which  speak  of 
a  resurrection  into  an  immortal  state,  by  observing  the 
difference  there  is  between  the  two  classes. 

That  our  text  evidently  belongs  to  that  class  of 
scriptures  which  speak  of  a  spiritual  resurrection,  or  of 
a  resurrection  which  has  no  allusion  to  a  future  state 
of  being  may  be  seen  by  attending  to  the  context, 
which  reads  as  follows ;  "  Verily,   verily,   I  say  unto 


340  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

vou.  he  that  heareth  my  word,  and  belie veth  on  him 
that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come 
into  condemnation,  but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life." 
Here  it  is  perfectly  plain  that  the  death  from  which 
the  believers  had  passed  was  of  a  moral,  and  not  a  lit- 
eral kind  ;  and  it  is  perfectly  plain  also  that  the  life  in- 
to which  they  had  already  entered  was  of  a  spiritual 
nature,  which  believers  enjoy  by  the  means  of  believ- 
ing in  the  word  of  Jesus  in  the  present  tense.  And  it 
is  furthermore  evident  that  the  condemnation  mention- 
ed in  the  passage  already  quoted  is  a  condemnation 
which  is  the  consequence  of  unbelief  in  the  present 
life,  and  is  the  same  as  is  signified  by  the  following 
words  of  Jesus  :  "  He  that  believeth  not  is  condemn- 
ed already."  The  next  words  to  those  quoted  from 
our  context  are  the  following :  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  the  hour  is  coming  and  now  is,  when  the 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  son  of  God,  and  they 
that  hear  shall  live.  For  as  the  Father  hath  life  in 
himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in 
himself,  and  hath  given  him  authority  to  execute  judg- 
ment also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man."  It  is  abun- 
dantly evident  that  the  Saviour  still  continued  to  speak 
of  the  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  of  their  hearing  and 
believing  his  word,  and  of  the  spiritual  life  which  faith 
in  the  gospel  wrought  in  them.  And  it  is  also  evident 
that  his  authority,  which  he  here  mentions,  to  execute 
judgment,  administers  that  condemnation  into  which 
the  unbeliever  is  brought. 

Our  text  follows  the  words  last  quoted ;  "  Marvel 
not  at  this  ;  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which,  all 
that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall 
come  forth  ;  they  that  have  done  good  unto  the  resur- 
rection of  life  ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil  unto  the 
resurrection  of  damnation."  Now  as  it  is  acknowledg- 
ed by  all  that  Jesus  was  speaking  figuratively  in  the 
context,  until  he  came  to  the  words  of  our  text,  it 
his  entirely  unwarranted  to  make  him  now,  all  of 
a  Budden,  speak  of  a  literal  resurrection.  It  is  alto- 
Lr<  (ther  more  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  as  he  meant 
the  dead  in  a  moral  or  spiritual  sense,  by  the  dead  who 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  341 

should  hear  his  voice  and  live,  he  now  means  the  car- 
nal state  of  carnal  minds  by  the  graves  from  which  the 
dead  were  to  come  forth. 

That  the  word  graves  is  used  figuratively  in  scrip- 
ture we  learn  from  the  37th  of  Ezekiel,  where  the 
prophet  represents  the  return  of  the  captivity  of  Israel 
from  the  countries  where  they  had  been  scattered,  first 
by  the  resurrection  of  the  dry  bones  in  the  valley  of 
vision, — and  secondly,  by  bringing  them  out  of  their 
graves.  And  here  we  may  remark,  that  there  would 
be  the  same  propriety  in  understanding  the  prophet  to 
mean  a  figurative  resurrection  by  the  dry  bones  repre- 
senting the  return  of  Israel's  captivity  ;  but.  when  he 
speaks  of  bringing  them  out  of  their  graves,  to  mean 
their  resurrection  from  their  literal  graves  into  an  im- 
mortal state,  as  there  is  in  explaining  our  text  and  con- 
text in  the  usual  way. 

There  is  a  passage  in  the  12th  of  Daniel,  which 
commentators  very  justly  consider  a  parallel  passage 
with  our  text ;  it  reads  as  follows:  "  And  at  that  time 
shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince  which  stand- 
eth  for  the  children  of  thy  people  ;  and  there  shall  be 
a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was  since  there  was  a 
nation  even  to  that  same  time :  and  at  that  time  thy 
people  shall  be  delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found 
written  in  the  book.  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in 
the  dust  of  the  earth,  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting 
life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  It 
seems  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  as  Jesus  came  to  ful- 
fil the  law  and  the  prophets,  he  had  his  eye  on  this 
passage  in  Daniel  when  he  spake  the  words  of  our 
text ;  and  that  he  meant  by  those  who  were  in  the 
graves  the  same  as  Daniel  meant  by  those  who  were 
asleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth;  and  by  those,  who 
should  come  forth  to  the  resurrection  of  life,  he  meant 
the  same  as  Daniel  did  by  those  who  should  awake 
from  the  dust  of  the  earth  to  everlasting  life  ;  and  by 
those  who  should  come  forth  to  the  resurrection  of 
condemnation,  the  same  as  Daniel  meant  by  those, 
who  should  come  forth  unto  shame  and  everlasting 
contempt. 

29* 


342  BALLOU'S  LECTURES. 

Will  the  hearer  now  say  that  all  this  may  be,  and 
that  both  Daniel  and  the  Saviour  were  speaking  of  the 
resurrection  of  mankind  to  a  state  of  immortal  happi- 
ness and  misery  in  a  future  world  ?  To  this  we  reply, 
when  Jesus  spoke  to  his  disciples  of  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  and  of  the  calamities  which  should  shortly 
come  on  the  Jews,  he  uses  the  words  of  Daniel  nearly 
verbatim  when  he  speaks  of  the  time  of  trouble.  By 
this  circumstance  we  are  instructed  that  both  Daniel 
and  the  Saviour  spake  of  the  same  time,  and  of  the 
same  events,  and  that  that  time  was  when  Jerusalem 
was  destroyed  by  the  Romans. 

The  true  moaning  of  the  words  of  Jesus  and  of  the 
passage  in  Daniel  appears  to  be  this  :  those  Jews  who 
listened  to  the  mild  voice  of  the  gospel,  proclaimed  by 
Christ,  and  his  Apostles,  came  forth  from  spiritual  death 
to  the  life  of  faith  in  the  new  covenant ;  but  those 
Jews,  who  rejected  the  doctrine  of  salvation,  crucified 
the  Saviour,  and  persecuted  his  apostles,  were  those 
who  had  done  evil,  and  they  were  roused  from  the 
dormant  state  in  which  they  lay,  as  in  a  covenant  of 
death  and  a  refuge  of  lies,  by  the  voice  of  judgment, 
and  come  forth  to  the  resurrection  of  that  condemna- 
tion which  is  so  particularly  pointed  out  in  the  24th 
and  25th  chapters  of  Matthew  ;  and  which  was  illus- 
trated in  our  lecture  on  that  subject. 

That  the  resurrection  under  consideration  is  not  a 
resurrection  from  this  mortal  to  an  immortal  state,  may 
be  made  to  appear  by  comparing  the  account  of  it  with 
the  account  given  of  the  resurrection  into  a  state  of 
immortality,  which  we  find  in  several  passages,  and 
which  were  noticed  in  our  last  lecture. 

In  the  account  of  the  resurrection  noticed  in  our 
text,  some  are  raised  to  life  and  some  to  condemna- 
tion ;  and  this  account  we  have  seen  agrees  so  well 
with  the  testimony  quoted  from  Daniel,  that  no  doubt 
remains  that  the  Saviour  and  the  prophet  spake  of  the 
s:unc  event.  But  can  we  make  St.  Paul's  account  of 
the  resurrection  of  all  mankind  into  an  immortal  state 
agree  with  these  several  testimonies  so  as  to  be  satisfied 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  343 

that  the  apostle  was  treating  on  the  same  subject  of 
which  Daniel  and  the  Saviour  treated  ? 

Jesus  says:  that  they  that  have  done  good  shall 
come  forth  to  the  resurrection  of  life,  and  they  that 
have  done  evil  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation.  Dan- 
iel says  :  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust 
of  the  earth  shall  come  forth,  some  to  everlasting  life, 
and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  St. 
Paul  says  ;  "  As  in  Adam  all  die  even  so  in  Christ 
shall  all  be  made  alive."  And  he  is  particular  in  stat- 
ing the  constitution  which  all  men  will  receive  in  the 
resurrection  of  which  he  speaks.  It  is  spiritual,  incor- 
ruptible, immortal,  and  glorious,  it  is  the  image  of  the 
Lord  from  heaven.  He  makes  no  distinction.  He 
says  nothing  of  the  good  works  of  some  and  the  evil 
works  of  others.  His  testimony  is,  in  fact,  directly 
against  any  distinction  or  difference  in  that  immortal 
state.  All  are  made  alive  in  Christ ;  and  as  this  life  is 
spiritual,  incorruptible  and  immortal,  this  testimony 
agrees  with  the  testimony  of  Jesus  to  the  Sadducees 
on  the  same  subject  of  the  resurrection,  in  which  he 
says,  that  in  the  resurrection  they  are  the  children  of 
God,  equal  unto  the  angels,  and  can  die  no  more. 

In  his  debate  with  the  Sadducees,  Jesus  gave  no  in- 
timation that  any  would  rise  from  the  dead  to  a  state 
of  condemnation,  but  was  particular  in  saying  that  all 
live  unto  God.  * 

In  our  present  light  of  this  subject,  we  can  plainly 
see,  that  by  supposing  that  Jesus  spake  in  our  text  of 
the  same  subject  of  which  he  spake  in  his  reply  to  the 
Sadducees,  we  make  him  contradict  himself.  And  by 
supposing  that  our  text  is  a  testimony  of  the  same  event 
of  which  St.  Paul  spake  in  his  argument  on  the  resur- 
rection in  the  15th  of  the  first  of  Corinthians,  we  set 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  and  St.  Paul  at  an  irreconcila- 
ble variance. 

Our  present  subject  may  be  represented  by  suppos- 
ing, that  a  traveller  returns  to  this  town  from  the  state 
of  Vermont,  and  informs  us  that  in  consequence  of  a 
disturbance  among  the  convicts  in  the  State  prison, 
the   prisoners   were  all   brought  out  under  sufficient 


344  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

guards,  to  be  examined  and  tried  for  their  conduct 
This  trial,  our  traveller  informs  us,  finally  terminated 
•in  the  solitary  confinement  of  a  large  number  of  the 
leaders  of  the  disturbance,  but  in  the  liberation  from 
prison  of  many  who  were  found  to  be  meritorious  in 
their  conduct  in  endeavoring  to  suppress  and  prevent 
the  wicked  designs  of  the  others, 

This  traveller  being  a  man  of  respectable  standing 
in  society,  and  of  undoubted  reputation,  no  one  is  dis- 
posed to  doubt  the  truth  of  the  testimony  which  he 
lie  has  given  on  this  subject.  Not  long  after  having 
this  information  in  the  way  here  related,  our  traveller 
returns  from  a  tour  through  New  Hampshire,  and  in- 
forms us  that  the  new  governor  in  that  state  has  seen 
cause  to  set  all  the  prisoners  in  the  state  at  liberty, 
and  that  he  was  an  eye  witness  of  the  fact.  For  want 
of  proper  caution  some  of  us  now  confound  the  two 
reports,  and  think  that  these  several  relations  are  con 
cerning  what  took  place  relative  to  the  prisoners  in 
Vermont. 

In  this  way  we  should  make  the  testimony  of  our 
traveller  destroy  itself  and  the  veracity  of  its  author. 
And  yet  his  whole  testimony  in  both  cases,  when  un- 
derstood according  to  the  different  subjects  related, 
and  the  proper  distinctions  preserved  according  to  the 
plainest  sense  of  the  several  accounts  given,  all  ap- 
pears clear  and  without  the  least  contradiction. 

By  applying,  in  an  indiscriminate  manner,  those  pas- 
sages of  scripture  which  specially  belong  to  the  tem- 
poral, mutable  state  of  man  in  this  life,  and  those 
which  speak  of  an  immortal  state,  all  to  the  future  ex- 
istence of  mankind,  the  greatest  absurdities  have  been 
supported  by  the  scriptures.  In  the  same  way  the 
dispute  between  those  who  contend  for  salvation  by 
the  agency  of  the  creature,  and  those  who  maintain 
that  works  are  out  of  the  question  relative  to  salvation 
has  been  protracted  for  ages  in  the  christian  church. 
And  yet  if  the  passages  of  scripture,  which  are  quoted 
on  both  sides  of  the  argument  were  applied  to  their  re- 
spective subjects  there  would  be  no  room  for  dispute 
or  occasion  for  any  difference  of  sentiment. 


BALLOU's    LECTURES.  345 

For  instance,  the  account  we  have  of  the  judgment 
in  the  25th  of  Matthew  proceeds  according  to  the 
works  of  those  who  are  judged  ;  and  those  who  are 
welcome  to  the  kingdom,  are  justified  according  to 
their  works,  and  those  who  are  sentenced  to  punish- 
ment are  so  condemned  according  to  their  conduct. 
Now  as  this  passage  is  applied  to  the  eternal  state  of 
the  unseen  world  by  both  parties  in  the  dispute  just 
named,  those  who  rest  the  final  justification  of  the 
creature  on  his  works  seem  to  have  a  decided  advan- 
tage in  the  dispute.  And  it  is  all  in  vain  for  the  op- 
poser  to  try  to  reconcile  this  passage  with  his  notion  of 
justifying  the  creature  to  everlasting  life  in  the  eternal 
world  without  any  reference  to  his  good  works  in  this 
world.  This  he  will  not  attempt  to  do  :  but  in  order 
to  do  away  the  force  of  this  judgment,  he  quotes  some 
passages  which  speak  of  grace  to  the  exclusion  of 
works;  such  as  the  following;  "Who  hath  saved  us 
and  called  us  with  an  holy  calling,  not  according  to 
our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace. 
Not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done, 
but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us.  By  grace  are 
ye  saved,  thiough  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it 
is  the  gift  of  God.  Not  of  works  lest  any  man  should 
boast.  Now  to  him  that  worketh  the  reward  is  not 
reckoned  of  grace  but  of  debt ;  but  to  him  that  work- 
eth not  but  believeth  on  him  who  justifieth  the  ungod- 
ly, his  faith  is  counted  unto  him  for  righteousness." 
As  it  is  perfectly  evident  that  these  passages,  on  the 
very  face  of  them,  were  designed  to  set  fonh  the  grace 
and  salvation  of  God  in  a  way  to  exclude  the  works  of 
the  saved  as  the  ground  of  such  salvation,  the  argu- 
ment now  fairly  turns  in  favor  of  the  ether  side  ; 
for  here  are  more  passages  than  the  one  brought  in  fa- 
vor of  the  contrary  side. 

What  is  the  next  thing  to  be  done?  Does  he  who 
predicates  salvation  on  works  undertake  to  show  that 
the  passages  last  quoted  do  not  indicate  the  fact  for 
which  they  are  adduced  ?  No,  for  this  would  be  la- 
bor lost :  it  would  be  as  easy  to  prove  that  these  pas- 
sages mean  nothing.     What  then  does  he  do?     He 


346  BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  \ 

proceeds  to  quote  some  more  scripture  on  the  other 
side,  such  as  the  following;  ;'  The  willing  and  obedi- 
ent shall  eat  the  good  of  the  land,  but  if  ye  rebel  ye 
shall  lie  devoured  with  the  sword,  for  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  it.  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die.  The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father, 
neither  shall  the  father  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  son  ; 
the  righteousness  of  the  righteous  shall  be  upon  him, 
and  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked  shall  be  upon  him. 
Say  ye  to  the  righteous,  that  it  shall  be  well  with  him  ; 
for  they  shall  eat  the  fruit  of  their  doings.  Wo  unto 
the  wicked  !  it  shall  be  ill  with  him  ;  for  the  reward 
of  his  hands  shall  be  given  him.  For  the  son  of  man 
shall  come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  his  angels, 
and  then  he  shall  reward  every  man  according  to  his 
works.  For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment 
seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things 
done  in  his  body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done, 
whether  it  be  good,  or  bad."  As  it  is  perfectly  evi- 
dent that  these  last  quoted  passages  do  not  indicate 
that  men  are  justified  without  good  works,  but  in  con- 
sequence of  them,  the  dispute  stands  exactly  as  it  did 
when  it  began,  and  where  it  must  stand  until  these 
disputants  come  to  a  determination  to  understand  par- 
ticular passages  of  the  scriptures  according  to  the  par- 
ticular subjects  to  which  they  respectively  belong. 

All  those  passages,  which  speak  of  judging  and  re- 
warding men  according  to  their  works  have  their  true 
and  just  application  to  that  divine  economy  in  which 
our  heavenly  Father  administers  to  his  moral  offspring 
that  discipline  which  grows  from  his  love  and  faithful- 
ness and  which  our  imperfection  requires. 

On  the  other  hand,  all  those  passages  which  speak 
of  the  abundant  grace  of  God,  of  his  great  love  to  sin- 
ners, of  his  saving  us,  not  according  to  our  works,  but 
according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was 
given  unto  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began, 
have  their  true  and  just  application  to  that  divinely 
spacious  economy  of  the  Father  of  our  spirits,  in  which 
he  has  made  ample  provisions  for  the  spiritual  and 
eternal  welfare  of  all  mankind.     And  if  we  are  careful 


BALLOu's    LECTURES.  347 

to  keep  the  different  subjects  of  which  the  scriptures 
treat,  as  distinct  from  each  other  as  the  divine  testimo- 
ny requires,  we  shall  never  apply  the  passage  under 
consideration  to  the  immortal  state  of  man,  nor  is  it 
believed  by  your  servant,  that  any  other  passage  can 
be  found,  which  speaks  of  rewarding  men  for  their 
good  works,  and  of  punishing  others  for  evil  works, 
which  can,  with  the  least  color  of  propriety  be  applied 
to  the  state  of  man  when  this  mortal  shall  have  put  on 
immortality,  and  this  corruptible  incorruption. 

To  pretend  that  it  is  not  convenient  or  proper  for 
men  to  be  rewarded  in  this  world  according  to  their 
works  here,  is  more  absurd  than  it  would  be  to  argue, 
that  it  is  not  convenient  or  proper  for  children  to  re- 
ceive rewards  of  merit,  and  chastisements  for  disobe- 
dience at  the  school  where  they  receive  their  educa- 
tion. And  to  contend  that  all  the  good  works,  and 
all  the  evil  works  done  in  this  mortal  state  are  to  be 
judged  and  recompensed  in  the  eternal  world,  is  a 
thousand  times  more  unreasonable  than  it  would  be 
for  a  parent  of  vast  wealth  to  go  to  the  school  mas- 
ter who  educated  his  children  and  get  a  particular  ac- 
count of  every  thing  his  children  did  while  at  school, 
and  then  proceed  to  make  his  last  will  and  testament 
according  to  that  account. 

To  conclude,  while  our  text  assures  us,  that  good 
works  will  never  go  unrewarded,  nor  evil  works  unre- 
compensed,  it  by  no  means  intrudes  on  the  eternal  in- 
heritance given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  be- 
gan ;  nor  does  it  in  any  way  contradict  the  testimony, 
that  "  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be 
made  alive." 


LECTURE    XXV. 

ALL    GOD'S    JUDGMEMTS    ISSUE    IN    LOVE. 

ZEPHANIAII,  iii.  17. 

He  will  rest  in  his  love. 

In  this  short  book  of  the  prophecy  of  Zephaniah 
there  is  much  said  on  the  subject  of  the  sins  of  various 
nations,  and  of  the  sore  punishments  which  the  divine 
ruler  had  seen  fit  to  execute  upon  them  for  their  cor- 
rection, and  as  an  admonition  to  his  chosen  people, 
the  Jews. 

The  design  of  the  judgments  of  God  is  most  clearly 
expressed  in  the  following,  recorded  in  our  context  : 
"  Therefore,  wait  ye  upon  me,  saith  the  Lord,  until 
the  day  that  I  shall  rise  up  to  the  prey  ;  for  my  deter- 
mination is  to  gather  the  nations,  that  I  may  assemble 
the  kingdoms,  to  pour  upon  them  mine  indignation, 
even  all  my  fierce  anger  ;  for  all  the  earth  shall  be  de- 
voured with  the  fire  of  my  jealousy.  For  then  will  I 
turr>  to  the  people  a  pure  language,  that  they  may  all 
call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  serve  him  with 
one  consent." 

The  account  here  given  by  the  prophet,  concerning 
the  indignation  and  fierce  anger  of  the  Lord,  is  of  a 
very  different  nature  from  the  account  of  the  same 
subject,  which  is  current  in  our  times.  The  divine 
indignation  or  anger  according  to  our  christian  doc- 
tors, is  totally  unmerciful ;  and  those  on  whom  it  is 
fully  and  completely  executed,  no  more  than  begin  to 
fuel  its  horrors  in  this  world,  but  are  duly  prepared  by 
an  astonishing  miracle,  to  endure  the  fierceness  of  its 
burning  forever  in  the  eternal  world.  In  the  days  of 
divine  inspiration  and  prophecy,  when  men  "  spake  as 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  349 

they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  no  such  horri- 
ble sentiments  were  held  up  to  the  people.  Then  the 
desolation  of  cities,  the  captivity  of  their  inhabitants, 
plagues,  famines,  and  pestilences  were  among  the  usual 
denunciations  of  the  judgments  of  God ;  but  now, 
nothing  that  can  be  suffered  in  this  world  seems  to 
answer  the  purpose ;  and  our  wise  men  pretend  to 
know  the  particulars  of  the  eternal  world  much  better 
than  of  this,  and  speak  of  the  horrors  of  future  condem- 
nation, and  of  the  indignation  of  the  Lord  in  that  state, 
without  the  smallest  hesitation.  Whether  they  are 
correct,  or  the  inspired  prophets,  we  are  at  liberty  to 
judge  for  ourselves.  It  is  a  plain  fact  that  their  ac- 
counts differ,  and  that  as  widely  as  day  from  night. 

According  to  the  prophet  in  the  passage  just  cited, 
the  indignation,  even  all  the  fierce  anger  of  the  Lord 
is  poured  out  on  the  whole  earth.  Nothing  is  said  of 
reserving  any  for  a  future  state.  And  what  is  worthy 
of  special  notice  is,  after  all  this  fierce  anger  of  the 
Lord  is  poured  out  on  the  people,  and  the  whole  earth 
is  devoured  with  the  fire  of  his  jealousy,  God  says, 
"  then  will  I  turn  to  the  people  a  pure  language,  that 
they  may  all  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
serve  him  with  one  consent."  So  that  the  very  same 
people  who  suffer  all  God's  fierce  anger,  are  thereby 
prepared  to  learn  a  pure  language  in  which  they  shall 
all  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  with  dispositions  and 
hearts  to  serve  him. 

As  consequences  resulting  to  the  house  of  Israel, 
from  the  execution  of  the  divine  indignation,  the  fol- 
lowing is  recorded  by  the  prophet ;  "  In  that  day  shalt 
thou  not  be  ashamed  for  all  thy  doings,  wherein  thou 
hast  transgressed  against  me ;  for  then  I  will  take 
away  out  of  the  midst  of  thee  them  that  rejoice  in  thy 
pride ;  and  thou  shalt  no  more  be  haughty  because  of 
my  holy  mountain.  The  remnant  of  Israel  shall  not 
do  iniquity,  nor  speak  lies ;  neither  shall  a  deceitful 
tongue  be  found  in  their  mouth :  for  they  shall  feed  and 
lie  down,  and  none  shall  make  them  afraid.  Sing,  O 
daughter  of  Zion ;  shout,  O  Israel ;  be  glad  and  re- 
joice with  all  the  heart,  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem. 
30 


350  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

The  Lord  bath  taken  away  thy  judgments,  he  hath 
cast  out  thine  enemy ;  the  King  of  Israel,  even  the 
Lord,  is  in  the  midst  of  thee:  thou  shall  not  see  evil 
any  more.  The  Lord  thy  God  in  the  midst  of  thee  is 
mighty  ;  he  will  save,  he  will  rejoice  over  thee  with 
joy  ;  he"  will  rest  in  his  love  ;  he  will  joy  over  thee  with 


singing.*' 

■ 


In  this  most  interesting  representation  we  are  led  to 
contemplate  the  happy  issue  of  the  judgments  of  God, 
even  all  his  fierce  anger,  in  the  salvation  of  his  people, 
in  their  rest  and  joy.  Even  God  himself  is  represent- 
ed as  rejoicing  over  them  with  joy,  and  as  finding  rest 
in  his  love  toward  them. 

In  order  that  one  may  rest  in  love  the  following  par- 
ticulars seem  to  be  necessary. 

I.  Love  must  be  holy  and  all  its  desires  righteous. 
And, 

II.  The  desires  of  love  must  all  be  accomplished  in 
their  fullest  extent. 

To  a  moral  being  an  unholy  love  and  unlawful  de- 
sires are  a  source  of  inquietude,  and  the  more  such 
love  and  desires  are  indulged  the  greater  is  the  infe- 
licity occasioned  by  them.  But  the  contrary  is  the 
effect  of  a  holy  love  and  of  righteous  and  lawful  de- 
sires. The  more  they  are  indulged  the  greater  is  the 
satisfaction,  and  the  more  perfect  that  rest  which  re- 
sults from  such  indulgence.  The  love  of  our  heaven- 
ly Father  toward  his  offspring  is  a  holy  love,  and  all  its 
desires  are  lawful  and  right.  It  is  the  holiness  of  love  and 
the  lawfulness  of  its  desires  which  justifies  all  the  means 
which  are  necessary  to  carry  these  desires  into  effect. 

This  subject  may  be  represented  by  the  love  of  pa- 
rents toward  their  children.  The  parental  love  is  law- 
ful and  all  its  desires  are  righteous.  It  looks  on  chil- 
dren with  strong  desires  for  their  improvement  and 
happiness.  If  they  are  disobedient,  love  desires  their 
reformation  ;  and  it  is  the  purity  of  this  love  and  the 
righteousness  of  its  desires  that  justify  those  rebukes. 
warnings,  and  chastisements  which  are  necessary  for 
tjie  bringing  of  the  disobedient  to  submit  to  those 
wholesome  precepts  which  are  alone  designed  for  their 
benefit.     Take  away  this  parental  love,  and  remove 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  351 

the  desire  of  doing  good  to  the  disobedient  child,  and 
every  rebuke,  every  admonition,  and  every  punishment 
inflicted,  would  be  as  destitute  of  righteousness,  as  the 
heart  of  the  parent  is  of  love.  But  where  this  holy 
love  and  these  pure  desires  are  in  exercise,  they  fully 
justify  the  greatest  severity  which  may  be  necessary 
for  the  good  of  the  disobedient.  And  here  let  us  cau- 
tiously observe,  that  the  parent  never  finds  rest  until 
all  that  love  desires  is  accomplished.  While  stubborn- 
ness and  disobedience  remain  in  the  child,  and  during 
the  administration  of  chastisement,  the  parent  has  no 
rest.  Anxiety,  pity,  grief,  love  and  tender  affections 
mingle  in  the  feeling  heart  with  indignation,  severity  and 
faithfulness  ;  but  when  this  stubbornness  is  subdued,  and 
the  disobedient  heart  brought  to  submit,  how  calm, 
how  quiet  is  the  rest  which  the  parent  finds  in  that 
victorious  love,  which  has  now  conquered  all  opposition, 
and  carried  into  effect  its  utmost  desires.  If  the  parent 
could  find  rest  in  the  administration  of  punishment, 
then,  in  order  to  continue  this  rest,  the  punishment 
would  be  protracted  ;  but  rest  is  taken  after  the  labor 
is  done,  and  the  longer  the  labor  continues,  the  longer 
rest  is  deferred. 

To  apply  our  metaphor,  we  may  observe,  that  God's 
love  toward  mankind  is  a  holy  love,  and  all  the  desires 
of  that  love  are  righteous.  The  holiness  of  his  love, 
and  the  righteousness  of  its  desires  sanctify  his  sever- 
est judgments  and  direct  them  all  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  desires  of  love. 

The  figure  of  expression  used  in  our  text  is  very 
strong;  it  seems  to  represent  the  divine  Being  as  being 
in  want  of  rest  from  the  exercise  of  his  severity  and 
indignation,  and  as  finding  that  rest  in  his  love  toward 
those  whom  he  had  chastised,  by  pouring  on  them  all 
his  fierce  anger,  which  terminated  in  their  subjection 
to  his  will.  But  the  scriptures,  without  intending  to 
represent  the  Almighty  as  being  changeable,  use  such 
metaphors  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  an  idea  of 
the  ultimate  design  and  goodness  of  God,  in  all  his 
works. 

Where  we  have  an  account  of  the  creation  of  all 


352  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

things,  we  are  informed  that  God  proceeded  with  his 
work  day  after  day  for  six  days,  and  when  he  had  end- 
ed his  work,  he  rested  on  the  seventh.  But  here  let 
us  remark,  that  he  rested  in  his  love,  for  he  was  able, 
after  taking  a  perfect  survey  of  all  his  works,  to  pro- 
nounce the  whole  "  very  good."  If  there  had  been 
any  part  of  the  creation  which  would  not  answer  the 
purpose  for  which  it  was  made,  God  would  not  have 
pronounced  it  good,  nor  could  he  have  loved  that 
which  was  not  good,  nor  could  he  have  rested  in  his 
love. 

Man  was  the  last  work  which  the  divine  Creator 
performed,  and  man  he  made  in  his  own  image.  Man 
he  styles  his  offspring,  he  calls  himself  our  Father,  and 
he  directs  his  providence  and  grace  in  a  way  to  provide 
for  us,  and  to  bring  us  to  the  enjoyment  of  himself. 

When  man  had  sinned,  and  God  came  to  him  in 
the  cool  of  the  day,  he  pronounced  his  judgments  with 
such  limitations  as  to  manifest  his  purpose  in  the  final 
deliverance  of  his  sinful  children  from  the  power  of  the 
tempter  by  the  seed  of  the  woman  who  should  bruise 
his  head.  Thus  we  see  that  God  rests  no  where  but 
in  his  love. 

Had  the  Creator,  on  this  occasion,  denounced  on 
man  the  malediction  of  never-ending  misery,  according 
to  the  doctrine  of  our  catechism  ;  and  had  it  been  his 
pleasure  to  inform  them,  as  the  writers  of  our  creeds 
have  informed  us,  that  by  this  first  transgression  the 
whole  posterity  of  Adam  and  Eve  had  become  liable 
to  the  pains  of  hell  forever,  we  could  hardly  find  how 
to  reconcile  this  doctrine  with  the  idea  that  our  heav- 
enly Father  rests  no  where  but  in  his  love. 

It  may  be  profitable  in  this  place,  though  it  be  pain- 
ful, to  spend  a  kw  reflections  on  the  resting-place, 
which  the  wisdom  of  this  world  has  invented  for  the 
Father  of  our  spirits.  This  invention,  in  order  to  ac- 
commodate our  heavenly  Father  with  the  most  perfect 
and  quiet  rest,  has  assigned  a  great  part  of  his  rational 
offspring  to  the  most  exquisite  torments  which  improv- 
ed imagination  has  been  able  to  suggest,  and  has  as- 
signed the  execution  of  this  torture  to  him  !     That  pa 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  353 

rents  may  not  only  see  this  subject,  but  feel  a  little  by 
having  it  represented  in  subordination  to  our  under- 
standing, we  may  suppose  a  similar  invention  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  parent  of  a  numerous  family, 
to  give  him  the  most  perfect  rest.  Thus  three  quar- 
ters of  his  children  are  to  suffer  the  most  exquisite 
torments  which  human  invention  can  devise ;  and  to 
have  this  torture  so  administered  as  to  be  protracted 
for  a  long  time,  and  the  parent  himself  must  execute 
this  punishment ! 

Parents,  would  you  call  this  a  bed  of  roses  ?  Do 
you  wish  to  repose  your  weary  limbs,  after  carefully 
nursing  and  bringing  up  children,  on  such  down  as 
this  ?  Disgusted,  you  reply,  why  do  you  torture  our 
feelings  and  greet  our  ears  with  such  unnatural 
similes? 

We  deserve  to  have  our  feelings  harrowed  with 
these  thorns,  with  these  briars  and  thistles,  for  we  have 
spread  them  out  by  our  wicked  inventions  for  our 
merciful  and  compassionate  Father  in  heaven  to  rest 
himself  on  to  all  eternity  !  The  creeds  of  the  chris- 
tian church  now  contain  the  invention  under  consid- 
eration ;  our  preachers  dwell  upon  it,  and  on  its  differ- 
ent parts,  with  an  earnestness  by  which  they  evince 
their  zeal  for  God  ;  and  professors  patiently  hear  this 
doctrine  proclaimed,  and  pronounce  it  wholesome  or- 
thodoxy. As  long  as  this  remains  to  be  the  case,  a 
hope  is  entertained  that  people  in  one  way  or  another, 
will  be  made  to  hear  their  doctrine  applied  in  a  way  to 
make  them  feel  its  effects. 

However  men  may  err  in  their  Inventions,  however 
they  may  attribute  the  worst  of  designs  to  God,  he  is 
of  one  mind  and  none  can  turn  him.  The  love  in 
which  he  rested  on  the  seventh  day,  after  he  had  cre- 
ated all  things,  is  the  same  love  which  he  manifested 
after  man  had  sinned.  This  is  the  love  which  he  has 
had  in  view  in  the  administration  of  all  his  judgments, 
and  the  same  which  he  has  manifested  through  Jesus 
for  the  salvation  of  mankind  from  sin  and  death.  The 
hearer  will  recollect  that  we  have  said  that  in  order  for 
one  to  rest  in  love,  all  that  love  desires  must  be  ac- 
30* 


354  BALLOu's    LECTURES. 

complished.  This  idea  is  within  your  easy  comprehen- 
sion. If  one  has  a  desired  object,  an  object  of  the  most 
affectionate  regard  in  view,  but  great  difficulties  and 
clangers  lie  in  the  way  of  obtaining  this  object,  you 
know  that  this  condition  is  by  no  means  calculated  to 
give  rest.  But  if  the  difficulties  become  surmounted, 
and  the  dangers  removed,  and  the  longed  for  object 
finally  obtained,  the  successful  soul  finds  rest  in  love. 
Thus  Joseph  the  persecuted  brother,  tenderly  loved 
his  brethren,  suffered  many  things  for  their  profit, 
overcome  all  embarrassments  and  finally  received  them 
all  under  his  safe  protection  and  found  a  calm,  a  sweet 
repose  in  his  love.  To  prove  them,  to  try  them,  for  a 
season  he  treated  them  roughly,  and  with  severity. 
He  accused  them  of  being  spies,  come  to  see  the  na 
kedness  of  the  land.  He  kept  Simeon  bound  while 
he  sent  the  rest  to  their  families.  He  directed  the  sil- 
ver cup  to  be  deposited  in  Benjamin's  sack,  he  gave 
orders  for  his  arrest,  and  greatly  tried  the  hearts  of 
those  who  had  sold  him  ;  but  during  all  this  time  Jo- 
seph did  not  rest  in  this  manifestation  of  anger  How 
often  did  he  weep  alone  with  love,  pity,  and  grief  for 
his  brethren ;  but  when  he  had  humbled  them  enough 
and  made  himself  known  to  them,  embraced  them  all 
and  granted  them  forgiveness,  he  rested  in  his  love. 
Had  he  failed  in  his  heart's  desire  of  seeing  all  his 
brethren  duly  humbled,  and  had  two  thirds  of  the 
whole  utterly  refused  to  acknowledge  their  faults,  or 
submit  themselves  to  him,  we  may  reasonably  suppose, 
that  he  would  not  have  enjoyed  that  rest  in  his  love 
which  he  did  when  he  fed  them  all  at  his  own  table. 

Let  the  mind  pass  from  this  circumstance  to  the 
consideration  of  the  love  of  God  to  mankind  and  to 
consider  the  extent  of  mercy's  design  as  manifested 
through  Jesus.  The  following  passages  relate  to  this 
subject.  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him, 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  For  God 
Bent  not  his  son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world  ; 
but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved.  But 
God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that,  while 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES,  355 

we  were  yet  enemies,  Christ  died  for  us.  Herein  is 
love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  lovod  us,  and 
sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  We 
have  seen  and  do  testify  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son 
to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world."  By  these  passages 
we  learn  that  the  grand  design  of  the  Father's  love  in 
sending  the  son  into  the  world  was  to  save  the  world, 
and  this  design  must  be  fully  accomplished  in  order  for 
the  Father  to  rest  in  his  love.  My  friends,  you  know 
that  love  which  desires  that  which  we  can  never  ob- 
tain, in  room  of  affording  us  rest,  gives  us  uneasiness. 
Now  if  the  design  or  desire  of  the  Father's  love  is  the 
salvation  of  the  world,  how  can  he  ever  find  rest  in 
his  love  if  this  desire  is  nevei  accomplished  ?  But  he 
worketh  all  things  after  the  council  of  his  own  will. 
His  judgments  and  his  mercies  will  be  employed  and 
well  directed  to  their  object,  until  the  vast  design  of 
love  is  completed  in  the  reconciliation  of  all  things  to 
God,  who  will  forever  rest  in  his  love.  Thus  are  the 
judgments  of  God  explained  in  the  song  of  Moses  the 
servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb.  "  Great 
and  marvellous  are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty  ; 
just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  king  of  saints.  Who 
shall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ? 
for  thou  only  art  holy ;  for  all  nations  shall  come  and 
worship  before  thee ;  for  thy  judgments  are  made 
manifest." 

The  divine  economy  in  the  moral  system  may  be 
represented  by  a  bountiful  and  benevolent  providence, 
by  which  our  temporal  wants  are  satisfied.  Winter, 
in  which  appears  no  promise  of  bread  in  future,  spring, 
in  which  promises  but  just  make  their  appearance, 
and  summer  full  of  labor  and  toil  precede  the  bountiful 
autumn,  when  rest  and  festivity  cause  to  forget  the 
labors  of  the  past  seasons,  and  we  find  that  all  has  hap- 
pily terminated  for  good. 

This  general  subject  may  be  contemplated  to  ad- 
vantage, by  taking  into  consideration  the  labors  and 
sufferings  of  our  blessed  Redeemer,  all  which  terminate 
m  giving  him  rest  in  his  love.  After  the  prophet  Isai- 
ah gave  a  most  circumstantial  account  of  the  Saviour's 


356  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

Bufferings  and  the  object  of  them,  in  which  account 
ne  states  the  following :  "  He  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities ;  the 
chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  and  with  his 
stripes  we  are  healed,"  he  further  says;  "He  shall 
see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied ; 
by  his  knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  ma- 
ny for  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities."  St.  Paul  informs 
us  that  the  man  Christ  Jesus  gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  all  men  to  be  testified  in  due  time,  and  that  he  by 
the  grace  of  God  tasted  death  for  every  man.  And  St. 
John  says,  he  is  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world.  Jesus  himself  says ;  the  true  shepherd 
layeth  down  his  life  for  the  sheep.  Now  these  passa- 
ges all  go  to  show  what  was  the  desire  of  the  Sa- 
viour's heart,  "  who  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood."  And  they  contain  evidence 
that  the  whole  of  his  desire  will  finally  be  accomplish- 
ed. When  this  is  done,  it  will  be  evident  that  he  rests 
in  his  love. 

When  Jesus  wept  over  Jerusalem,  and  said ;  "  O 
Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  prophets, 
and  stonest  them  which  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as 
a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye 
would  not !  Behold  your  house  is  left  unto  you  deso- 
late ;  he  further  added  ;  for  I  say  unto  you,  ye  shall 
not  see  me  henceforth,  till  ye  shall  say,  blessed  is  he 
that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  It  is  worthy 
of  notice,  that  in  this  instance,  and  on  this  most  in- 
teresting occasion,  the  Saviour  terminated  his  prophet- 
ic malediction  in  a  way  to  give  place  to  his  blessed 
appearance  and  his  being  hailed  with  "  Blessed  is  he 
that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Thus  the 
blessed  Jesus  rested  no  where  but  in  his  love. 

When  on  the  cross,  at  the  close  of  his  sufferings, 
the  dear  Redeemer  manifested  that  love  was  his  rest- 
ing place.  He  prayed  for  his  enemies,  saying;  "  Fa- 
ther forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do." 

Keep  in  mind  that  the  whole  which  love  desires 
must  be  accomplished  in  order   that  love  may  give 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  357 

rest.  If  the  Saviour  loved  his  enemies,  if  he  loved 
sinners,  if  he  designed  their  redemption,  their  forgive- 
ness, and  salvation,  can  he  ever  rest  in  this  love  un- 
less this  desire  be  granted  ?  "  He  shall  see  of  the  tra- 
vail of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied."  But  he  never  can 
be  satisfied  with  any  thing  short  of  the  joy  that  was 
set  before  him,  for  which  he  endured  the  cross,  and  de- 
spised the  shame. 

If,  as  has  been  erroneously  held,  and  is  now  believ- 
ed and  taught,  after  the  dispensation  of  divine  mercy 
through  Jesus  Christ,  shall  have  accomplished  all  it  ev- 
er will  accomplish  ;  if  after  it  has  reconciled  all  that  it 
ever  will  reconcile,  millions  are  to  remain  in  eternal 
rebellion  under  the  dominion  of  sin,  darkness  and 
death  ;  and  if  the  same  blessed  mediator,  who  gave 
himself  a  ransom  for  all  men,  who  is  the  propitiation 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  who  by  the  grace  of 
God  tasted  death  for  every  man,  is  to  execute  on  those 
wretched  millions  never  ending  wrath,  how  is  it  that  he 
can  ever  rest  in  his  love  ? 

The  prophet  Isaiah  calls  the  promised  Shiloh,  "  the 
everlasting  Father  and  the  Prince  of  Peace."  But 
with  what  propriety  he  can  be  called  a  father  to  those 
for  whom  he  has  no  mercy  is  utterly  inconceivable  : 
or  how  he  is  properly  called  the  prince  of  peace,  when 
he  is  the  administrator  of  endless  wrath  on  his  own 
subjects,  is  truly  difficult  to  understand. 

Let  us  again  repeat,  in  order  that  love  may  give 
rest,  all  that  love  desires  must  be  accomplished.  St. 
Paul  exhorted  husbands  to  love  their  "  wives,  even  as 
Christ  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it ;  that 
he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of 
water  by  the  word  ;  that  he  might  present  it  to  him- 
self a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle,  or 
any  such  thing ;  but  that  it  should  be  holy  and  with- 
out blemish."  According  to  this  declaration  Christ 
gave  himself  for  the  church  because  he  loved  it,  and  be- 
cause he  loved  it  he  undertook  to  sanctify  and  cleanse 
it,  that  he  might  free  it  from  every  spot  and  wrinkle, 
and  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church.  This 
same  Apostle  says  that  Christ  gave  himself  a  ransom 


358  BALLOU  S    LECTURES. 

for  all  men.  All  men  are  therefore  of  his  church. 
His  church  was  unsanctified,  unclean,  full  of  spots  and 
wrinkles,  and  inglorious ;  but  by  the  ministration  of 
the  word  of  life,  he  will  sanctify  and  cleanse  it.  But 
short  of  the  completion  of  this  work,  he  cannnot  rest. 
in  his  love.  The  uncleanness  of  human  nature  was 
the  reason  why  his  love  moved  him  to  the  ministration 
of  his  cleansing  word,  and  as  long  as  one  spot  or  wrin- 
kle remains  the  washing  must  be  continued  ;  but.  when 
sin  is  finished,  when  all  shall  know  the  Lord  from  the 
least  to  the  greatest,  then  will  that  love  which  moved 
the  Saviour  to  give  himself  for  us,  afford  a  heaven  of 
rest  to  him  whose  soul  travailed  for  man's  salvation. 

Our  subject  may  be  profitably  contemplated  by  ap- 
plying it  to  the  love  which  actuates  the  christian's 
heart ;  and  especially  to  the  love  which  moves  the 
faithful  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  to  be  vigilant  in  his 
ministry.  And  here  let  us  remark,  that  as  Jesus  un- 
dertook the  ministry  of  his  grace  from  pure  love  to 
sinners,  so  it  is  indispensably  necessary  that  the  minis- 
ters of  his  word  of  life  should  have  the  same  love 
which  moved  their  divine  master  to  our  redemption. 
If  Jesus  had  had  no  love  for  mankind,  if  he  had  been 
as  strenuous  for  man's  endless  misery  as  many  appear 
to  be  in  our  day,  he  never  would  have  given  himself 
for  us.  Remember  the  caution  which  our  Saviour  ob- 
served with  Peter.  "  Simon  Peter,  lovest  thou  me  ?" 
being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  says ;  "  feed  my 
sheep."  He  did  not  say,  terrify  and  frighten  my 
sheep  ;  but  feed  my  sheep  ;  and  Peter  did  most  faith- 
fully feed  the  sheep  ;  and  it  was  because  of  the  love 
which  he  bore  to  the  chief  shepherd,  and  to  the  sheep. 
And  this  was  the  case  with  the  whole  of  that  immortal 
band  of  Apostles  who  went  forth  to  feed  the  flock, 
which  Christ  had  purchased  with  his  own  blood,  arid 
to  wash  the  church  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the 
word.  They  labored,  they  suffered,  but  they  had 
peace  and  rest.  They  rested  in  that  triumphant  love 
which  incited  them  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  But 
this  love  could  have  given  them  no  rest,  if  it  had  not 
the  power  to  promise  success  to  their  labors. 


BALLOU'S     LECTURES.  359 

For  many  centuries  the  ministry  in  the  christian 
church  has  seemed  to  labor  more  to  persuade  people 
into  a  belief  of  the  general  failure  of  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation, than  to  inspire  a  hope  that  its  success  will 
eventually  correspond  with  the  universal  and  impartial 
love  of  the  Saviour;  and  though  the  preachers  have 
uniformly  professed  great  love  for  sinners,  and  a  wil- 
lingness to  exert  all  their  means  to  prevent  the  ever- 
lasting ruin  of  souls,  yet  they  have  as  constantly  in 
sisted  that  they  shall  rejoice  in  heaven  to  see  the  un 
converted  part  of  their  congregations  in  a  state  of  hope- 
less misery  !  But  how  is  this  consistent  with  the  idea 
of  resting  in  their  love  ?  It  is  easy  to  conceive  how 
the  minister  of  the  word  rests  in  his  love  to  the  people 
and  to  the  gospel,  if  he  has  the  prospect  bright  before 
him,  of  the  final,  full,  and  entire  success  of  the  min- 
istry.— St.  Paul  says  ;  "  Having  this  ministry  we  faint 
not."  But  what  is  the  peculiar  nature  of  this  minis- 
try which  caused  the  Apostles  not  to  faint  ?  See  the 
answer  in  the  same  Apostle's  words ;  "  Who  hath 
made  us  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament,  not  of 
the  letter,  but  of  the  spirit ;  for  the  letter  killeth,  but 
the  spirit  giveth  life."  Possessing  the  love  for  mankind 
which  the  Apostles  evidently  did,  they  must  have  faint- 
ed if  their  ministry  had  been  a  ministry  of  death  ;  but 
their  ministry  was  a  ministry  of  life,  of  righteousness, 
and  reconciliation,  in  which  they  labored  that  they 
might  "  present  every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus." 

The  same  spirit  of  love,  which  gives  rest  to  the  faith- 
ful minister  of  the  word  of  life,  is  the  rest  of  every 
true  believer.  It  is  acknowledged  by  all  denomina- 
tions of  christians,  that  the  spirit  of  Christ  is  the  spirit 
of  love,  and  that  this  love  extends  to  all  mankind. 
With  the  different  persuasions  among  us,  there  is  but 
one  sentiment  on  this  subject.  All  christian  people 
profess  to  love  the  whole  human  family,  and  to  pray 
for  the  salvation  of  all.  Now  since  this  is  uniformly 
the  case,  let  us  ask,  what  rest  can  they  have  while  ex- 
ercising this  generous  love  and  benevolence,  and  yet 
believing  that  millions  of  their  fellow  creatures  must 
inevitably,  not  only  be  excluded  the  joys  and  peace 


360  BALLOU'S     LECTURES. 

of  heaven,  but  be  the  subjects  of  positive  misery  for 

ever? 

It  is  true  we  have  been  told  the  extravagant  story 
that  the  saints  in  heaven  will  rejoice  forever  in  the  ev- 
erlasting misery  of  the  unconverted.  We  have  been 
told,  that  parents  will  rejoice  in  the  sentence  of  end- 
less condemnation  passed  on  their  own  offspring  in  the 
eternal  world !  But  will  this  be  resting  in  love  ?  If 
parents  have  as  much  love  for  their  children  in  the  next 
state  as  they  have  here,  will  that  love  allow  them  to 
rest  in  heaven,  while  their  offspring  are  tortured  in  ev- 
erlasting burnings  ?  No,  allowing  the  doctrine  of  fu- 
ture endless  misery,  those  who  rest  must  rest  in  eter- 
nal hatred !    but  in  hatred  there  is  no  rest. 

My  brethren,  did  you  ever  find  rest  in  a  spirit  of 
enmity  ?  in  a  disposition  to  rejoice  in  another's  mise- 
ry ?  Is  it  possible  for  unmerciful  wrath  to  give  rest? 
No,  if  we  ever  find  rest  either  in  this  world  or  in  the 
next,  it  must  be  in  love.  And  love,  that  it  may  give 
rest,  must  have  its  vast  desires  accomplished. 

What  an  unbounded  field  of  glory  and  beauty  our 
subject  presents  to  our  rejoicing  eyes !  The  vast, 
the  unbounded,  the  incomprehensible  love  of  our  heav- 
enly Father,  is  his  eternal  rest.  After  all  his  judg- 
ments, after  all  his  righteous  indignation  is  fulfilled  on 
all  his  enemies,  he  will  retain  his  unchangeable  love  to 
all  his  offspring,  and  rest  forever  in  seeing  all  the  de- 
sires of  his  universal,  impartial  love  fully  accomplished. 

Jesus,  the  mediator,  who  loved  us  and  gave  himself 
for  us,  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  sat- 
isfied, shall  see  all  the  desires  of  his  heart  accomplish- 
ed, shall  have  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance  and  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  possession,  and 
shall  rest  in  his  love  for  mankind  forever. 

The  apostles  of  the  Lamb,  who  following  the  steps 
and  the  example  of  their  divine  master,  loved  the  hu- 
man race,  labored  in  the  ministry  of  righteousness, 
and  reconciliation,  suffered  the  loss  of  all  earthly  things 
for  the  establishment  and  promotion  of  the  truth,  shall 
see  all  the  desires  of  their  love  fulfilled,  and  rest  in  their 
love. 


BALLOIj's    LECTURES.  361 

All  the  faithful  successors  of  the  Apostles,  in  the 
ministry,  who  have  been  excited  by  the  powerful  influ- 
ences of  the  spirit  of  love,  to  fulfil  their  ministry,  in  the 
Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God, 
shall  see  all  the  desires  of  their  love  fulfilled  in  the  re- 
conciliation of  all  things  to  God,  through  Jesus,  and 
shall  rest  forever  in  their  love. 

Every  tfue  believer  in  Jesus,  who  hath  been  quick 
ened  by  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  which  is  the  spirit  of 
love,  shall  see  the  boundless  desires  of  his  heart  fulfill- 
ed in  the  subjection  of  every  creature  in  heaven  and 
on  earth,  to  the  authority  and  love  of  Christ,  and  shall 
forever  rest  in  his  love. 

To  conclude — My  friends,  let  us  never  seek  rest  but 
in  love.  "  Let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your  wrath." 
"  Let  us  love  one  another,  for  love  is  of  God."  "  He 
that  loveth  another  hath  fulfilled  the  law." 


W 


LECTURE    XXVI. 

THE    HEALING    EFFICACY    OF    CHRIST^    DOCTRINE. 

MARK  v.  31. 

Thou  seest  the  multitude  thronging  thee,  andsayest  thou,  who  touched  me  1 

The  occasion  of  these  words  was  the  following  cir- 
cumstance.    One  of  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue,  of 
the  name  of  Jairus,  came  to  Jesus,  and  falling  down  at 
his  feet,  besought  him  most  earnestly,  saying,  "  my  lit- 
tle daughter  lies  at  the  point  of  death.     I  pray  thee 
come  and  lay  thy  hands  upon  her,  that  she  may  be  heal- 
ed, and  she  shall  live."    The  compassionate  Saviour  was 
moved  at  a  petition  which  flowed  so  directly  from  a  pa- 
rent's heart,  and  which  indicated  such  strong  faith  in  his 
power  to  heal.     He  immediately  went  with  the  afflicted 
father.    No  sooner  was  it  known  that  he  was  going  to  heal 
the  sick  child,  than  a  great  crowd  of  people  followed  and 
pressed  hard  upon  him.     They  were,  no  doubt,  ex- 
tremely anxious  to  be  eye  witnesses  of  the   miracle. 
In  this  vast  concourse  there  was  a    a  Oman  who  had 
been  afflicted  for  twelve  years  with  a  distressing  dis- 
order, "  and  had  suffered  many  things  of  many  physi- 
cians, and  had  spent  all  that  she  had,  and  was  nothing 
bettered,  but  rather  grew  worse."     This  afflicted  wo- 
man had  lost  all  hopes  of  recovery  by  the  assistance 
of  human  aid ;  indeed  she   was  poor  and  pennyless. 
Her  little  estate  had  already  passed  over  into  the  hands 
of  her  physicians,  who  in  room  of  doing  her  any  good, 
had  caused   her   many   painful    sufferings.     Destitute, 
alone  and  friendless,  a  thought  came  into  her  mind, 
and  it  immediately  formed  itself  into  a   resolution  ac- 
companied with  a  perfect  confidence,  that  if  she  could 
by  any  possible  means,  press  through  the  crowd  of  peo 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  363 

pie  so  as  to  but  touch  the  clothes  of  Jesus  she  should 
be  made  whole. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  to  imagine  a  circumstance 
more  calculated  to  excite  exertion  than  this.  She  was, 
no  doubt,  a  very  feeble  person,  a  great  multitude  of 
people  were  crowding,  and  pressing  to  keep  close  to 
Jesus  that  they  might  not  miss  of  seeing  the  miracle. 
The  difficulty  of  getting  through  the  crowd  was,  no 
doubt  very  great ;  but  salvation  was  so  near  and  so 
desirable,  that  it  invigorated  her  feeble  system  to  such 
a  degree  that  her  efforts  were  availing.  It  is  not  un- 
likely that  we  may  form  a  pretty  correct  idea  of  the 
manner  of  this  woman's  exertions  on  this  occasion. 
She  would  naturally  direct  her  eyes  toward  Jesus  and 
get  a  glimpse  of  him  as  often  as  possible  ;  when  it  so 
happened  that  she  could,  by  the  greatest  exertion  get 
before  one  of  the  crowd,  she  never  let  the  opportunity 
slip  ;  one  step  gained  was  cautiously  kept ;  she  was 
careful  that  no  one  should  crowd  her  back  ;  she  look- 
ed well  to  her  feet  that  they  should  not  slide  ;  spake 
not  a  word  to  any  one  lest  she  might  miss  an  opportu- 
nity to  advance  :  the  nearer  she  gets  to  the  prize  the 
stronger  and  more  active  she  grows,  till  she  eagerly 
reaches  forth  her  hand  and  touches  the  garment  of  the 
Saviour.  She  now  realizes  her  faith,  her  confidence 
has  not  deceived  her,  she  is  made  whole. 

Though  this  woman  did  not  once  think  that  the  Sa- 
viour was  apprehensive  of  her  approach,  we  have  good 
reason  to  believe  that  he  who  knew  the  very  thoughts 
of  men's  hearts,  who  saw  Nathaniel  under  the  fig-tree, 
knew  her  case,  her  faith  and  the  efforts  she  had  made 
to  come  to  him.  Immediately  after  this  woman  touch- 
ed his  garment,  he  turned  himself  about  in  the  press 
and,  as  if  surprised  that  any  one  should  touch  him, 
said,  who  touched  my  clothes  ?  The  disciples,  being 
ignorant  of  the  particular  case,  and  surprised  that 
their  master  should  ask  who  touched  him,  when  he 
had,  for  some  time,  been  pressed  with  the  crowd  of 
people  all  around  him,  said  to  him,  "  thou  seest  the 
multitude  thronging  thee,  and  sayest  thou  who  touch- 
ed me  ?"     Jesus  made  them  no  reply,  but  cast  his  eyes 


364  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

round  to  see  her,  who  had  done  this  thing,  when  the 
woman,  fearing  and  trembling,  knowing  what  was  done 
in  her,  come  and  fell  down  before  him,  and  told  him 
all  the  truth.  And  he  said  unto  her,  "  daughter,  thy 
faith  hath  made  thee  whole  ;  go  in  peace,  and  be  whole 
of  thy  plague." 

Our  subject,  as  it  now  lies  before  us,  seems  to  sug- 
gest the  following  particulars  for  consideration. 

I.  What  appertains  to  the  subject  of  the  power  of 
Jesus  to  heal  the  natural  disorders  of  the  human  body. 

II.  The  consideration  of  this  power  as  indicating  the 
moral  excellency  of  the  doctrine  of  Jesus,  and  its  effi- 
cacy in  removing  the  moral  and  spiritual  maladies  of 
mankind. 

III.  The  similarity  between  the  disorders  of  the  body 
and  those  of  the  mind. 

IV.  As  there  were  no  natural  complaints  that  were 
too  malignant  to  be  cured  by  the  miraculous  power  of 
Jesus,  it  seems  to  justify  the  inference  that  there  are  no 
cases  of  moral  or  spiritual  disorder,  which  are  beyond 
the  reach  of  the  divine  efficacy  of  his  grace. 

V.  The  natural  inducements  which  led  the  infirm  to 
Jesus,  may  be  used  to  represent  those  of  a  moral  na- 
ture which  lead  the  rational  mind  to  the  doctrine  of 
Christ. 

VI.  A  noticeable  difference  in  the  motives  of  people 
who  crowd  the  places  of  public  worship  where  the 
healing  doctrine  of  Jesus  is  preached,  is  signified  by 
the  crowding  multitude  who  pressed  continually  on  Je- 
sus, and  the  special  cause  of  the  woman's  approach. 
And 

VII.  The  resolution  and  perseverance  of  this  wo- 
man may  be  used  in  a  way  to  encourage  sinners  to 
come  to  Christ. 

But  that  the  hearer  may  not  be  troubled  to  retain 
these  particulars,  the  whole  subject,  we  say,  is  to  be 
seen  by  examining  it  in  a  natural  and  moral  sense. 

The  miraculous  power  of  Jesus  was  so  manifested, 
that  even  his  bitterest  enemies  did  not  pretend  to  de- 
ny that  miracles  were  wrought  by  him  ;  they  however, 
attributed  that  power  to  an  evil  demon,  or  Beelzebub. 


BALLOU'S  LECTURES.  365 

The  miracles  of  Jesus  were  done  in  such  a  public 
manner,  and  in  such  vast  numbers,  that  not  only  his 
keenest  eyed  enemies  who  surely  would  have  been  able 
to  have  detected  any  imposition  on  the  public,  were 
fully  convinced.  But  the  thousands  who  were  healed  of 
all  manner  of  diseases,  remaining  among  the  people  of 
different  parts  of  the  country,  were  living  testimonies 
by  which  these  miracles  were  established,  and  the  fame 
of  the  divine  physician  sent  abroad  through  every  re- 
gion. 

Respecting  these  miraculous  cures,  it  is  of  import- 
ance  to  notice,  that  no  partiality  was  ever  known  to 
have  any  influence  in  the  bestowment  of  such  favors ; 
nor  have  we  any  account,  that  any  worthiness  in  the 
subject  was  ever  inquired  for,  or  that  any  known  un- 
worthiness  excluded  any  from  these  mercies.  In  these 
particulars  the  miraculous  cures  wrought  by  Jesus,  bear 
the  indubitable  marks  of  the  true  divinity.  Had  Jesus 
made  any  distinctions,  and  had  he  healed  some  and  re- 
fused to  heal  others  in  the  same  condition,  the  use 
of  his  miraculous  power  would  have  exhibited  infallible 
marks  of  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  which  has  for  ages 
subverted  the  gospel  of  Christ,  by  teaching  for  doctrine 
the  vain  tradition,  that  some  only  of  the  human  race 
were  elected  from  all  eternity  unto  everlasting  life, 
while  the  residue  were  by  as  early  a  decree,  reprobat 
ed  fr  m  the  divine  favor  forever.  But  the  blessed  Je 
sus  neither  preached  nor  practiced  such  a  sentiment. 
Again,  had  the  Saviour  been  careful  to  confer  his  mi- 
raculous favors  according  to  character,  had  he  minute- 
ly investigated  the  conduct  of  the  infirm  and  sick  and 
confined  his  favors  to  the  virtuous,  he  would  then  have 
given,  by  way  of  example,  some  support  to  the  doc- 
trine of  men,  in  which  they  have  confined  the  favor 
and  mercy  of  God  to  the  virtuous.  But  Jesus  said, 
"  I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to 
repentance." 

We  have  every  reason  necessary  for  believing,  that 

the  gracious  design  of  our  heavenly  Father,  in  giving 

such  power  to  Jesus,  extended  beyond  the  temporal 

benefits  received  by  those  who  were  healed  of  their  in- 

31* 


366  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

firmities.  It  is  generally  argued  by  christians,  that  the 
miracles  of  Jesus  were  designed  as  evidences  of  his 
Messiahship  or  divine  mission  ;  and  this  we  may  safe- 
ly believe,  and  yet  believe  that  the  design  ex- 
tends still  further.  What  benefit,  we  may  ask,  is 
there  in  believing  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  ?  The 
answer  is,  that  we  may  receive  him  as  a  divine  teacher, 
and  believe  in  his  doctrine.  But  the  inquiry  does  not 
end  here.  What  benefit  is  there  in  believing  his  doc- 
trine ? — The  answer  is,  a  belief  in  his  doctrine  is  a  rem- 
edy for  the  moral  evil  of  our  nature;  or  in  other  words, 
the  doctrine  of  Jesus  is  a  cure  for  all  the  disorders  of 
sin,  and  our  belief  in  this  doctrine  is  a  mean  of  its 
healing  effects  in  the  mind.  If  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Christ  were  not  possessed  of  this  power,  it  seems  im- 
possible to  understand  the  great  necessity  of  its  being 
propagated  in  our  world. 

The  notion  that  this  doctrine  consists  of  a  long 
string  of  abstract  articles  of  faith,  which  have  been 
written  into  human  creeds,  the  belief  of  which  is  pro- 
posed in  the  gospel  as  a  condition  of  our  being  made 
eternally  happy  in  a  future  state,  is  so  perfectly  desti- 
tute of  reason,  and  so  foreign  from  the  nature  of  events 
which  take  place  in  the  system  of  causes  and  effects, 
that  it  is  by  no  means  entitled  to  any  share  of  our  con- 
fidence. 

The  belief  of  the  truth  itself  is  of  no  other  advantage 
than  its  effects  in  delivering  from  sin ;  and  changing 
the  mind  into  the  divine  image.  The  miraculous 
cures  wrought  by  the  Saviour  consisted  in  removing 
the  natural  disorders  of  the  human  body,  so  that  the 
leper  was  cleansed,  the  deaf  made  to  hear,  the  blind  to 
see.  the  lame  to  walk,  and  the  dead  to  live.  And  in 
all  these  cases  the  divine  efficacy  of  his  doctrine  was 
most  plainly  indicated.  For  it  is  the  knowledge  of  the 
divine  and  glorious  truths  which  compose  his  doctrine 
that  cleanses  from  sin  and  moral  defilement.  God 
does  not  forgive  the  wicked  as  a  compensation  for  be- 
lieving in  certain  tenets,  but  forgiveness  of  sin  means 
no  more  nor  less  than  is  expressed  in  the  following 
words  of  scripture  ;  "  In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  foun- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  367 

tain  opened  to  the  house  of  David,  and  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Jerusalem,  for  sin  and  uncleanness.  Behold 
the  lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world.  Who  hath  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood.  That  he  might  sanctify  and 
cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word. 
Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet  they  shall  be  as  white  as 
snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be 
as  wool." 

Between  the  disorders  of  the  human  body,  and  those 
of  the  mind,  there  seems  to  be  no  small  resemblance. 
Both  are  the  natural  productions  of  the  constitution  of 
the  creature,  who  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  not  will- 
ingly, but  by  reason  of  him  who  subjected  the  same  in 
hope.  Both  are  promoted  by  the  indulgence  of  ap- 
petites and  passions,  both  become  inveterate  by  habit. 
Natural  blindness  and  ignorance  of  divine  things  are 
so  very  similar  that  the  scriptures  use  the  same  word 
to  signify  both,  and  the  Saviour  represents  sinners  by 
those  who  are  sick. 

If  the  mind  of  the  hearer  has  consented  to  the  idea 
that  the  miraculous  cures  performed  by  Jesus  on  the 
bodies  of  people,  were  designed  to  indicate  the  power 
of  his  grace  to  cleanse  from  sin  and  moral  defilement, 
we  may  proceed  to  consider  one  of  the  most  glorious 
truths,  which  the  gospel  was  designed  to  reveal.  This 
great  truth  is  seen  in  the  following  argument.  As 
there  were  no  natural  disorders  which  were  too  stubborn 
for  the  miraculous  power  of  Jesus  to  remove,  no  de- 
moniac so  raving  that  Jesus  could  not  clothe  him  in 
his  right  mind,  none  so  strongly  locked  in  the  dark 
house  of  death  that  he  could  not  call  them  from  thence, 
we  infer,  that  no  degree  or  description  of  sin,  howev- 
er chronical,  however  inveterate,  is  beyond  the  power 
of  divine  mercy  to  wash  away. 

We  are  informed  that  there  was  one  instance  of  a 
possessed  of  a  devil  whose  case  was  beyond  the  power 
of  the  disciples  of  Jesus ;  but  Jesus  cast  him  out,  and 
told  the  disciples  that  their  unbelief  was  the  reason 
that  they  failed  of  this  miracle.  The  same  may  be  the 
case  with   many  even   now,  they  can  find  sins  which 


368  BALLOTj's    LECTURES. 

they  think  cannot  be  washed  away,  but  all  this  is  o\ 
ing  to  their  unbelief.  I 

The  case  of  Lazarus  was  attended  with  peculiar  cii 
cumstances  which  may  be  profitably  noticed  in  the 
present  argument.  When  Jesus  advanced  toward  the 
sepulchre,  the  weeping  sister  Martha  exclaimed, 
"Lord,  by  this  time  he  stinketh;  for  he  hath  been 
dead  four  days."  Probably  her  thoughts  were  the  fol- 
lowing. Hadst  thou  but  come  in  season,  such  is  thy 
power,  thou  mightst  have  prevented  my  brother's 
death,  or  even  after  his  breath  had  left  his  body,  possi- 
bly hadst  thou  been  here  to  exert  thy  power  before 
corruption  had  begun  its  work,  the  event  might  have 
been  to  the  praise  of  thy  glorious  power  and  to  our 
consolation.  But  the  precious  time  is  gone,  the  oppor- 
tunity is  lost,  four  days  have  surely  carried  my  broth- 
er beyond  the  reach  of  thy  restoring  power.  But  not- 
withstanding all  this  reasoning,  at  the  words  of  Jesus, 
"  Lazarus,  come  forth,"  the  dead  was  raised. 

Like  faithless  Martha,  many  who  profess  to  be  the 
disciples  of  Jesus,  have  made  their  calculations,  by  which 
they  have  bounded  the  grace  of  God,  and  carried  sin- 
ners of  a  certain  character  beyond  those  limits.  It 
is  frequently  the  topic  of  our  preachers,  to  set  forth, 
in  the  most  lamentable  language,  the  awful  situation 
of  thousands  and  millions  of  their  fellow-creatures,  who, 
they  say,  will  come  short  of  the  divine  mercy,  through 
delay.  Had  they  exerted  their  powers  in  season,  had 
they  improved  their  precious  moments  of  probation, 
all  would  have  been  well  and  the  prize  secure.  But  it 
is  now  too  late.  The  door  of  mercy  is  shut.  And 
though  the  poor  wretched  sinner  would  now  give  a 
thousand  worlds,  if  he  had  them,  for  one  hour  in  which 
he  might  repent,  he  is  denied  the  privilege  of  repent- 
ing forever. 

With  such  appalling  language  as  this,  and  more  to 
the  utmost  stretch  of  imagination  assisted  by  the  blind- 
est enthusiasm,  the  feeble  nerves  and  delicate  minds 
of  women  and  children  are  terrified  into  a  kind  of  reli- 
ligious  delirium.  But  surely  one  plain  testimony  of 
divine  truth  removes  all  those  gloomy  fears.  "  Where 
sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound." 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  369 

Rut  it  is  not  enough  that  we  prove  the  proposition 
that,  the  grace  of  God  revealed  in  the  gospel  is  suffi- 
cient to  take  away  the  sin  of  the  world ;  it  is  of  still 
greater  consequence  that  the  mind  should  understand 
the  nature  of  this  great  truth.  For  this  kind  of  know- 
ledge is  that  which  changes  the  mind  from  darkness 
to  light,  and  delivers  it  from  the  reigning  power  of  sin 
to  the  love  of  holiness  and  to  the  obedience  of  the 
just. 

The  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  reveals  the  divine  char- 
acter to  the  understanding  whereby  the  sinner  is 
brought  to  know  God,  whom  to  know  is  life  eternal ; 
God  is  love,  and  love  has  the  power  to  transform  the 
mind  into  its  own  image  ;  God  is  justice,  and  justice 
forms  its  own  character  in  the  heart  of  its  moral  sub- 
ject ;  God  is  truth,  and  truth  drives  out  error  and  takes 
up  its  residence  in  the  soul ;  God  is  holiness,  and  holi- 
ness washes  out  every  stain  of  sin,  and  implants  in  the 
mind  a  love  to  its  divinity.  The  sinner  thus  saved, 
thus  delivered  from  sin,  is  made  rationally  happy  in  the 
enjoyment  of  those  moral  perfections  which  are  the  nat- 
ural elements  a  moral  being.  All  that  can  be  termed 
sinfulness  is  just  as  contrary  to  the  health  of  the  soul, 
as  disorders  of  the  body  are  to  the  health  of  the  body. 
And  all  the  salvation  which  a  sick  man  needs  is  to  be 
delivered  from  his  sickness,  and  all  the  salvation  a  sin- 
ner needs  is  to  be  saved  from  his  sins. 

The  opinion  that  a  time  will  ever  come  when  it  will 
not  be  just  in  the  nature  of  things  for  a  sinner  to  re- 
pent, embraces  and  necessarily  implies  the  absurdity 
that  it  will  be  just  for  the  sinner  to  continue  in  sin  ! 

But  the  common  doctrine  of  the  church  contends 
that  if  men  do  not  repent  of  their  sins  in  this  life,  they 
will  not  be  allowed  the  privilege  of  repenting  in  a  fu- 
ture state,  and  therefore  must  remain  sinful  forever. 
Now  all  these  notions  are  the  offspring  of  imagination, 
and  have  no  foundation  in  reason  nor  in  the  scripture 
of  truth.  The  gospel  was  sent  into  this  world  for  the 
purpose  of  reforming  mankind,  and  reconciling  the  na- 
tions to  God.  It  was  needed  here,  because  it  is  here 
that  men  are  sinners.     If  it  could  be  proved  that  the 


370  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

next  state  of  existence  is  one  subject  to  these  moral  in- 
firmities; what  reason  can  there  be  offered  that  their 
remedy  will  not  be  found  in  that  state  as  well  as  in 
this.  We  have  physicians  and  medicine  in  this  mor- 
tal state,  and  it  is  thought  by  some  that  there  are  me- 
dicines in  every  climate  sufficient  for  the  disorders  of 
that  climate.  Now  if  the  next  state  be  incident  to 
sickness  and  disorders,  what  reason  can  there  be  offer- 
ed that  there  will  not  be  physicians  and  suitable  me-  ■ 
dicines  in  that  state  to  cure  those  disorders  ? — When 
the  great  physician  of  souls  was  here  on  earth,  he 
was  never  known  to  shun  a  place  because  sickness 
or  wickedness  was  there.  He,  no  doubt,  knew 
that  legions  possessed  the  man  in  the  country  of 
the  Gadarenes,  yet  he  went  there,  and  there  he  cast 
out  the  devils ;  and  if  on  the  other  side  of  death  le- 
gions of  demons  possess  men  no  doubt  Jesus  will  in 
due  time  cast  them  out. 

The  hearer  is  cautioned  against  supposing  that  we 
allow  that  the  next  state  will  be  subject  to  sickness  or 
to  sin  ;  we  distinctly  say  that  the  evidence  of  this  is 
wanting  both  in  scripture  and  reason. 

As  the  inconveniences  of  sickness  and  disorder  are 
sufficient  to  induce  the  patient  to  apply  to  a  physician, 
so  the  painful  infelicities  of  sin  are  the  proper  induce- 
ments to  apply  to  the  spiritual  physician,  whose  doc- 
trine is  amply  efficacious  in  removing  our  sins  from  us. 
The  supposition  that  has  taken  the  lead  of  the  minds 
of  religious  people,  that  it  would  be  desirable  to  live  in 
sin  in  this  world,  if  it  were  not  that  it  is  so  offensive  to 
God,  that  he  will  punish  them  forever  hereafter  to  show 
his  resentment,  is  one  of  the  most  pernicious  deceptions 
that  ever  darkened  the  understanding  of  mankind. 
This  deception  is  the  means  of  continuing  people  in 
the  love  of  sin.  They  long  to  live  in  it,  and  would 
without  restraint,  were  it  not  for  this  system  of  fear. 
But  it  has  been  fully  proved  that  this  terror  is  no  real 
security  to  a  virtuous  life.  Those  who  are  the  strong- 
est advocates  for  this  doctrine  of  tormenting  men  in 
another  world,  because  they  have  been  sinners  here, 
arc,  in  general,  as  wicked  men  as  any  other  class.     It 


BALLOU  S     LECTURES.  371 

is  true  they  endeavor  to  be  more  secret  in  the  practice 
of  vice,  but  this  only  adds  the  wickedness  of  hypocrisy 
to  the  rest  of  their  sins.  These  remarks  are  by  no 
means  directed  against  any  particular  denomination, 
they  are  designed  for  general  application.  The  fact 
is,  if  men  are  really  virtuous,  they  are  so  from  the  love 
they  have  for  the  moral  principles  of  our  common  na- 
ture ;  and  we  are  happy  to  find  some  of  this  descrip- 
tion among  all  denominations  and  in  every  class  of 
citizens. 

It  would  be  most  glaringly  absurd  for  one  to  tell  a 
sick  man  languishing  with  distressing  pain,  that  there 
is  no  penal  law  by  which  any  punishment  can  be  in- 
flicted on  him  for  being  sick,  he  had  better  not  send 
for  a  physician,  nor  give  himself  any  trouble  about  re- 
covering his  health.  A  patient  who  should  be  treated 
with  such  communication  would  surely  think  himself 
trifled  with.  If  one  who  knew  the  situation  of  the 
woman,  who  pressed  through  the  crowd  to  reach  the 
garment  of  Jesus,  had  told  her,  that  no  punishment 
would  be  inflicted  on  her  if  she  did  not  go  to  him,  and 
therefore  she  might  indulge  in  the  pleasures  of  her  dis- 
order, would  she  have  supposed  the  person  serious  ? 
But  this  would  have  been  no  more  absurd  than  it  is  to 
tell  sinners,  that  if  there  had  been  no  everlasting  dam- 
nation in  the  eternal  world  for  their  sins  in  this,  they 
may  indulge  in  all  the  pleasures  of  sin.  As  sin  is  a 
disorder  it  certainly  deprives  of  happiness,  and  plunges 
the  sinner  into  misery;  and  if  there  be  any  propriety 
in  urging  those  who  are  sick  to  apply  to  a  physician, 
there  certainly  is  the  same  propriety  in  urging  sinners 
to  come  to  Christ,  that  is,  to  come  to  his  doctrine,  to 
his  truth,  to  his  spirit.  And  the  language  of  the  Re- 
deemer's invitation  is  most  reasonable ;  "  Come  unto 
me  all  ye  who  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest." 

The  motives  which  influenced  the  multitude,  who 
thronged  Jesus  as  he  went  to  the  house  of  Jairus,  were 
no  doubt  various.  Some  probably,  saw  Jesus  now  for 
the  first  time,  and  were  highly  incited  with  the  hope  of 
seeing  a  miracle  wrought.     Perhaps  others  were  his 


372  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

bitter  enemies,  and  were  on  the  look  out  to  discover 
some  fraud  or  deception  in  the  man.  Some  went  in 
the  crowd  because  others  were  going,  and  they  went 
for  the  sake  of  the  company.  Some  no  doubt  went 
from  the  laudable  motive  of  giving  their  countenance 
and  support  to  the  divine  teacher  in  whom  they  most 
sincerely  believed.  Some  very  likely  were  there  who 
had  experienced  the  healing  power  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  were  rejoiced  to  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  a 
miracle  of  mercy  again  performed.  But  among  the 
whole  there  was  one  distressed  woman  whose  mind 
was  far  from  speculative  contemplations.  She  was  im- 
pelled to  press  through  the  crowd  that  she  might  be 
healed  of  her  own  infirmity. 

As  it  was  with  the  multitude,  who,  on  various  occa- 
sions thronged  our  Saviour  in  the  days  of  his  minis- 
try on  earth,  when  some  for  one  motive  and  some  for 
another  joined  those  vast  assemblies,  so,  no  doubt,  it 
is  with  those  who  now  assemble  where  the  healing  doc- 
trine of  Jesus  is  preached.  Some  from  curiosity,  some 
from  habit,  some  from  fashion,  some  to  keep  the  com- 
pany of  others,  some  we  hope  go  because  they  love  the 
words  of  everlasting  life,  and  now  and  then  one,  per- 
haps, who  feeling  the  infirmity  of  their  own  sinful 
heart,  go  with  a  determination  to  press  through  every 
obstacle  and  come  to  Jesus,  who  is  the  way,  the  truth, 
and  the  life ;  who  is  the  fountain  opened  for  sin  and 
uncleanness. 

While  delivering  this  course  of  lectures  your  servant 
has  often  thought  of  the  possible  motives  which  occa- 
sioned such  uncommon  assemblies  to  crowd  every 
part  of  this  house,  and  a  hope  has  been  entertained 
that  among  the  many,  a  few  at  least,  were  striving  to 
find  him  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  prophets 
did  write.  A  fervent  desire  has  been  exercised  that 
the  doctrine  of  our  blessed  Redeemer  might  be  held 
up  to  the  view  of  the  hearers,  that  they  might  reach 
forth  the  hand  of  faith  and  lay  hold  on  the  hope  which 
is  set  before  them. 

Being  taught  by  the  Saviour,  we  did  not  indulge  in 
an  expectation  that  the  word  of  truth  would  be  receiv- 


BALLOU'S    LECTURES.  373 

ed  and  kept  by  all  who  heard  it.  Jesus  represented 
the  success  of  his  own  preaching  by  the  instructive 
parable  of  the  sower,  who  went  forth  to  sow ;  "  and 
as  he  sowed  some  seeds  fell  by  the  way  side,  and  the 
fowls  came  and  devoured  them  up.  Some  fell  upon 
stony  places,  where  they  had  not  much  earth  ;  and 
forthwith  they  sprang  up,  because  they  had  no  deep- 
ness of  earth,  and  when  the  sun  was  up  they  were 
scorched ;  and  because  they  had  no  root  they  withered 
away.  And  some  fell  among  thorns  ;  and  the  thorns 
sprang  up  and  choked  'them.  But  others  fell  into 
good  ground,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  some  an  hun- 
dred fold,  some  sixty  fold,  some  thirty  fold."  If  such 
has  been  the  success  of  those  feeble  efforts  made  to 
propagate  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  in  this  place, 
surely  we  have  reason  to  be  thankful  to  the  Lord  of 
the  vineyard.  If  while  the  enemies  of  the  word  have, 
like  the  birds  in  the  parable,  taken  away  that  which 
was  sown  in  the  heart,  if  while  the  spirit  of  persecu- 
tion agitating  the  tongue  of  censure  has  caused  many 
to  shrink  from  a  steady  perseverance  in  what  they 
gladly  received,  if  while  the  cares  of  the  world,  the 
deceitfulness  of  riches,  and  the  lust  of  other  things 
have,  like  thorns,  sprang  up  and  choked  the  word  in 
some,  others  have  received  it  in  good  and  honest 
hearts,  have  retained  the  precious  grain,  and  brought 
forth  fruit  to  the  honor  of  God,  our  labors  have  not 
been  in  vain,  our  exertions  are  amply  rewarded. 

This  last,  of  the  course  of  lectures  proposed  for  pub- 
lication, in  its  conclusion,  will  call  on  all  who  hear,  to 
form  the  resolution  which  enabled  the  woman  to  press 
through  the  crowd  and  come  to  Jesus,  and  come  to 
him  likewise.  That  is,  that  you  strive  to  the  utmost 
of  your  well  directed  abilities  and  means  to  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  Saviour's  doctrine. 

Is  it  not  the  case  with  many,  as  it  was  with  the 
woman,  have  you  not  spent  much  and  suffered  many 
things  of  those  "  physicians  of  no  value,"  who  have 
endeavored  to  heal  you  with  the  doctrines  and  com- 
mandments of  men  ?  and  do  you  not  find  that  after 
all  you  are  none  the  better?  Have  you  found  peace 
32 


374  BALLOU'S    LECTURES. 

in  believing  that  our  heavenly  Father  has  elected  some 
to  everlasting  life,  and  reprobated  the  rest  to  endless 
wo  ?  Have  you  found  that  all  your  plague  is  healed 
by  fancying  that  you  are  elected  unto  life  eternal, 
while  your  companions  and  children  may  be  devoted  to 
everlasting  sorrow?  Can  such  medicine  as  this  make 
you  perfectly  whole.  No,  but  in  the  bitterness  of  your 
souls,  when  you  look  on  your  little  ones,  and  believe 
that  they  are  exposed  to  endless  ruin,  you  cry  out  as 
Abraham  did,  "  0  that  Ishmael  might  live  before  the 
Lord."  Come  then,  my  friends,  to  the  peaceful  doc- 
trine of  Jesus,  who  took  little  children  in  his  arms  and 
blessed  them,  and  said,  "  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  O  the  peace  there  is  in  believing  this  tes- 
timony ?  It  overcomes  the  plague  of  unbelief,  and  fills 
the  heart  with  joy. 

Can  you  find  any  real  relief  from  the  power  of  a 
carnal  heart,  by  believing  that  your  immortal  state  de- 
pends on  your  own  good  works  in  this  imperfect  state? 
Do  you  feel  whole  from  all  your  plagues  by  believ- 
ing in  this  prevailing  doctrine  which  rest  the  weight 
of  eternity  on  the  imperfect  works  of  mortality  and 
time  ?  This  doctrine  of  human  contrivance,  always 
associates  the  "  heart-  chilling"  doctrine  of  endless  mis- 
ery  for  those  who  come  short  of  their  duty,  with  every 
pleasing  prospect  of  a  world  of  joy  for  those  who  by 
their  good  works  win  the  immortal  prize.  This  doc 
trine  as  well  as  that  of  election  and  reprobation  makes 
an  eternal  separation  between  those  of  the  most  en- 
dearing connexions  on  earth.  Why  is  there  so  much 
mourning,  so  much  gloominess  on  the  countenances 
of  those  who  hope  to  gain  immortal  glory  by  their 
works  ?  Is  it  because  they  have  pressed  through  the 
superstitions  of  the  church  and  caught  hold  of  the  gar- 
ment of  the  Saviour  ?  No,  this  is  not  the  case.  They 
have  endeavored  to  mend  their  own  garments,  and 
they  find  the  rent  is  continually  growing  worse.  Let 
such  come  to  the  Saviour's  doctrine,  and  believe  thai 
the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  find  peace 
in  believing  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Nothing  short  of  that  which  God   has  implanted  in 


BALLOu's    LECTURES.  375 

the  soul  can  satisfy  the  mind.  The  apostle  says  ;  the 
word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  heart  and  in  thy  mouth, 
the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach.  This  word  of 
faith  is  the  gift  of  God,  which  is  eternal  life  in  Jesus  ; 
and  nothing  short  of  this  can  satisfy  the  mind.  While 
we  oppose  this  principle  we  oppose  our  own  happi- 
ness ;  and  while  we  shut  one  individual  of  the  human 
family  away  from  this  word  of  life,  we  bring  death  to 
our  own  souls  in  so  doing. 

Some  are  so  embarrassed  with  one  doctrine  and  some 
with  another,  that  they  are  prevented  from  coming  to 
the  doctrine  of  Jesus.  Many,  very  many,  are  striving 
to  feed  on  the  husks  that  the  unclean  eat,  and  neglect 
to  come  to  Christ.  The  vanities  of  youth,  the  pride 
and  fashions  of  the  age  keep  thousands  back  from  com- 
ing to  the  purifying  religion  of  Jesus  ;  and  yet  his  will- 
ing, his  gracious  arms  are  extended,  as  in  the  last  day, 
that  great  day  of  the  feast,  when  he  stood  and  cried, 
"  If  any  man  thirst  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink." 

To  conclude — My  christian  friends,  I  feel  it  my  du- 
ty as  well  as  a  pleasure,  when  I  reflect  on  the  more 
than  ordinary  attention  which  you  have  paid  to  these 
lectures,  and  the  liberal  patronage  with  which  you  have 
favored  their  publication,  to  tender  you  my  most  grate- 
ful acknowledgments.  And  while  I  am  constrained 
deeply  to  regret  that  my  labors  should  come  so  short 
of  the  great  subjects  on  which  I  have  treated,  I  hum- 
bly prostrate  my  soul  before  God,  and  implore  his  for- 
giveness in  every  particular  wherein  I  have  erred 
through  ignorance  or  infirmity ;  and  earnestly  entreat 
that  these  feeble  efforts  may  be  attended  with  the  bles- 
sing of  him  who  fed  thousands  of  men,  women  and 
children  with  so  small  a  portion.  And  to  his  name 
alone  be  all  the  glory. — Amen. 


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J  SI    LtAsts^      "^tw      ^^ 


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